Title,Contract Number,Agency,Branch,Program,Year,Phase,Award Amount,SBC,Street,Street 2,City,State,ZIP,Woman-Owned?,Minority-Owned?,HUBZone-Owned?,Contact Name,Contact Title,Contact Phone,Contact Email,Principal Investigator,PI Title,PI Phone,PI Email,Abstract
Novel Computational Approaches for Solving Optimization Problems,FA8650-05-M-3556,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99900.00,"Accelogic, LLC",FL,,Weston,FL,33326-4040,Yes,No,No,Juan Gonzalez,President,9543494996,juan.gonzalez@nametech.com,Juan Gonzalez,President,9543494996,juan.gonzalez@nametech.com,"We propose to develop novel hardware-centric ""initialization"" technology that enables unprecedented computational power for the solution of general optimization problems. In Phase I, we will develop a hardware prototype of an ""initializer"" equipped with our technology, and conduct simulation studies to quantify the improvements brought by such initializer to a variety of commercial and public domain solvers so to determine the feasibility of our approach. Three mission-critical areas to the exploratory nature (called ""sampling"") of a general initializer are identified, namely (1) sampling speed; (2) sampling efficiency; and (3) sampling quality. Innovative algorithmic methods and architectures aimed at boosting the effectiveness of ""sampling"" along each one of the three areas are proposed. In particular, we propose to use hardware acceleration for speed; computational steering for efficiency; and a compensated computation of the objective function similar to that used in the sampling of analog signals, for quality. This technology has the potential to impact a wide variety of fields in which global optimization plays an important role, including engineering design, econometrics and finance, biotechnology, molecular design, scientific modeling, among others."
Healthy Dining Finder Restaurant Logo and Website Program,2R44DP000019-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,749607.00,"ACCENTS ON HEALTH, INC.",8765 Aero Dr Ste 300,,SAN DIEGO,CA,92123-1767,Yes,No,No,Mueller A. Jones,,,anita@healthy-dining.com,Esther P. Hill,,8585412049,ESTHER@HEALTHY-DINING.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term goal of Healthy Dining Finder is to help reduce the prevalence of risk factors related to obesity and nutrition-related diseases by increasing the availability of, and information about, healthier meals at
restaurants nationwide. With the cooperation of the National Restaurant Association, Accents On Health, Inc. (dba Healthy Dining) will approach thousands of restaurants (representing tens of thousands of locations) about participating in the Healthy Dinin
g Finder Program. Four to ten healthful menu items from each participating restaurant will be identified and promoted in two ways: (1) on-site in the restaurants via logos, special menus, window stickers, etc., and (2) on www.healthydiningfinder.com, a web
site which seeks to be the definitive online resource regarding healthy restaurant dining. Nutrition information for the featured menu items includes fruit/vegetable servings (in cups), calories, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, cholesterol, ca
rbohydrates, fiber, sugars, and protein. Aims for Phase II include: 1. Enhancing the capabilities of the website 2. Expanding the number of participating restaurants 3. Generating support from health organizations, health professionals, businesses, etc
., to promote Healthy Dining Finder 4. Launching the program to the public through PR and advertising Process evaluations will consist of tracking the steps taken to introduce the program to restaurants; the numbers and types of restaurants that enroll;
the steps taken to generate support from the health organizations, health professionals, businesses and community organizations; and the steps taken to launch the program to the public. Outcome evaluations will consist of measuring website hits and links
and online surveys of website visitors and participating restaurant operators."
Insensitive Munitions Modeling and Simulation,W9113M-06-C-0008,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,68881.00,3D RESEARCH CORP.,"7057 Old Madison Pike, Suite 200, P.O. Box 11723",,Huntsville,AL,35806,Yes,Yes,No,Kathryn W. Powers,Manager of Contracts and Pricing,2567055424,kpowers@3drc.com,James K. Woosley,Chief Scientist,2567055431,jwoosley@3drc.com,"3D Research Corporation and Aerojet, Incorporated, propose a novel approach to munitions modeling to assure the munitions meets Insensitive Munitions (IM) requirements of DoDD 5000.2-R and MIL-STD-2105C. IM validation of munitions requires extensive testing, and it is necessary to develop analytical approaches which accelerate the design process for IM compliance. The proposed approach evaluates all system factors which contribute to munitions susceptibility to unplanned stimuli and uses best-in-class computer modeling techniques to address each potential risk. At a time when munitions safety is becoming increasingly important, there have been no designs which have successfully bridged the gap between safety and performance; this model is necessary to close that gap. 3D Research and Aerojet together have the management skills and technical expertise to resolve this critical issue. During Phase I we will address the principal organizational and mathematical features of the model, comparing them with historical data from previous IM systems tests to assure the modeling approach provides the required fidelity and can be supported by the data. This will permit successful code development and verification for the software model during Phase II."
Advanced Gel Propellants for Exo-Atmospheric Kill Vehicle for Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD),W9113M-05-C-0037,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99867.00,3D RESEARCH CORP.,"7057 Old Madison Pike, Suite 200, P.O. Box 11723",,Huntsville,AL,35806,Yes,Yes,No,Kathryn Powers,"Manager, Contracts",2567055410,Kpowers@3drc.com,Jim Woosley,Chief Scientist,2567055410,Jwoosley@3drc.com,"3D Research Corporation and the University of Alabama in Huntsville have teamed to offer advanced high-energy gel propellants for exoatmospheric interceptors. High energy gelled propellants are required to improve the performance envelopes of future MDA missile interceptors. We will theoretically investigate a number of gelled fuel-additive combinations to determine the best potential performers, and select the most promising combinations for experimental investigation. This approach utilizes the best combination of available data through experimental analysis with the advantages of a strong experimental program. We will report the results of theoretical analysis of numerous gel-additive combinations, and specific data obtained from kinetics studies of the most promising combinations. Those gel-additive and oxidizer combinations which show the most promise for performance and systemization will be selected for detailed testing small-scale motors in Phase II. Future interceptor systems currently on the drawing board, such as the Kinetic Energy Interceptor, are posed to accept best in class propellants for current and future upgrades. Our team has a history of high-energy propellant development and the proper analytical and experimental tools to efficiently meet the needs of the government."
Intelligent Hybrid Power Management Device,FA8650-05-M-2555,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99081.00,"ADAPTIVE MATERIALS, INC.",4403 Concourse Drive Suite C,,Ann Arbor,MI,48108 8108,Yes,No,No,Aaron Crumm,President,7343027632,acrumm@adaptivematerials.com,Timothy Labreche,Senior Engineer,7343027632,tlabreche@adaptivematerials.com,"Our goal is to deliver a integrated hybrid power management device to the special operations soldier to minimize the burden of carrying unnecessary weight due to various batteries. Our proposed device includes a programmable voltage output, simple user interface, and a modular design that allows the system to be tailored to specific mission profiles. The system will include an LCD text display that will provide information in real time to allow for mission vital decisions to be made immediately. The power manager will be extremely rugged in design as part of a continued commitment by AMI to produce equipment suitable for military use. It is our belief that the proposed power manager / harvester system is a technology that goes hand in hand with our ultimate goal of delivering a power system with unparalleled energy density. It is our ultimate hope that such a device makes our Solid Oxide Fuel Cell system the obvious choice for almost any military operation."
Web-based Training Center,2R44ES012135-03,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,399911.00,Advanced Technologies/Laboratories Intl,Advanced Technologies/Lab Intl,"20010 Century Blvd, Ste 500",Germantown,MD,20874 0111,Yes,Yes,No,Alice Hwang,,3015156763,AHWANG@ATLINTL.COM,Vernon S. Mcdougall,,3015156786,MCDOUGAL@ATLINTL.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant)
The primary aim is to facilitate the development and delivery of live, interactive HAZWOPER training through the use of internet-based Advanced Training Technologies (ATT). To this end, ATL has designed the ATL Web-based Training Center as a fully integrated portal that provides synchronous and asynchronous training from one access point for all students and instructors and is flexible enough to adapt to differing training and learning needs.
Here hazardous materials workers, emergency responders, and skilled support personnel SSP can receive high quality health and safety training through the implementation of a wide variety of ATT including, virtual classroom (VC) hosting and instructor-led training; development of SCORM-conformant, self-paced courses including multimedia presentations and certification/refresher training; active-server page content development and hosting and learning management system (LMS) hosting; internal and external resource links and reference libraries; streaming content delivery, voice-over internet telephony (VOIP) and video conferencing; remote computer-assisted training, interactive pc/application/document sharing, and highly interactive HTML content using VBScripting and JavaScripting.
This portal will be unique in its ability to integrate the functions of a traditional learning management system (i.e., asynchronous training), an all-IP (internet provider) web-based conferencing/training center (i.e., synchronous training), document server/resource center, and application service provider (ASP)."
SBIR Phase II: Microdisplays Based on III-Nitride Wide Band Gap Semiconductors,0450314,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,2,467672.00,"III-N TECHNOLOGY, INC.",4627 5th Street,,Lubbock,TX,79416 4727,Yes,No,No,Jingyu Lin,,7853414484,JYLIN@3NTECH.COM,Zhaoyang Fan,Dr,7853416964,zyfan@3N-Tech.com,"The goal of this SBIR Phase II project is to bring the demonstrated Gallium Nitride (GaN) microdisplay technology to industrial maturity and to final commercialization levels. The project's goal will be accomplished by further optimizing the microdisplay device structural design and fabrication process based on the demonstrative results obtained in Phase I. Based on high-efficiency semiconductor micro-light-emitting diode (microLED) array technology, the GaN microdisplay is the first of its kind based on semiconductor LEDs. Specifically, by the hybrid integration of GaN microLED arrays with Si CMOS driver circuits through flip-chip bonding, active matrix addressable GaN microdisplays will have a compact size and will be able to support more information content and movie display due to their high pixel filling factor, uniformity, luminance, and power efficiency. The unique intrinsic properties of GaN microLEDs - high brightness (> 10 microwatt optical output power for microLEDs of 18 micrometer in diameter), wide viewing angle (~ 160 degrees), fast response time (< 1 ns), and high thermal and vibrational resistance, make GaN microdisplays a perfect solution for environmentally demanding applications such as head-up displays (HUD) in modern vehicles and aircrafts, head-mounted displays (HMD) for firefighters and other rescue operatives, and hand-held mini-projectors for field applications. Microdisplays have a small size (typically less than 1 inch diagonal) with a resolution from low end to above XVGA format. They are magnified by optics to form enlarged virtual or projected images for viewing by a user. Microdisplays can be used in a variety of devices such as head-mounted displays, video headsets, camcorder viewfinders, projection TV, head-up displays, etc. and have many commercial applications. GaN microdisplay, with its superior performance over other microdisplay technologies, is especially suitable for environmentally demanding applications that require high brightness, high reliability, and wide operating temperature range. With a slight modification of the material composition, GaN microLED arrays developed here can vary the emitted wavelength from the green to the ultraviolet range, which is very suitable for fluorescence analysis used in new type chemical-biology agent detector array or DNA/protein microchips. The GaN microLED array also has the potential for applications such as optical links and parallel computing. Other applications also include spatially resolved optical studies of biological, medical, and health care systems. The research will also enrich the general knowledge of wide bandgap semiconductor micro- and nano-photonics."
A Device for Measuring Gas Polarization,2R44HL065875-02A2,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,488856.00,Advanced Liquid Crystal Technologies,Pob 1314,,Summit,NJ,07902 0131,Yes,No,No,Patricia Cladis,,9082730187,CLADIS@ALCT.COM,James M. Daniels,,9082730187,alct.com@gmail.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant):
This project is to develop an instrument to measure the polarization of a hyperpolarized noble gas, Helium- 3 and Xenon-129, for enhanced lung MRIs in a clinical environment. It is essential to have some means of measuring polarization at various stages in the handling of these gases, e.g. at production, storage, transport and administration to a patient. The instrument we propose will be portable, compact (about 6 in. cube), self contained and versatile, able to operate in several modes and in various environments, yet capable of being integrated in a larger system. Unlike presently used methods of measuring polarization, this is a direct measure of nuclear polarization that does not destroy any of the polarization of the sample being measured.
It operates on the principle that two coupled resonant systems, in this case an electronic L-C circuit and the magnetically resonating nuclei, oscillate in unison in either of two frequencies, neither of which is the same as the magnetic resonant frequency of the nuclei. The system is made to oscillate at a very low amplitude, and polarization is derived from measurements of frequency. Since the magnetic field probing the nuclei is not much stronger than thermal noise, and at a frequency different from their resonant frequency, the nuclei are not disturbed.
The program is to investigate different modes of exploiting this phenomenon (the splitting of the resonance), to devise protocols for efficient implementation, and to develop software to enable the instrument to operate automatically and in an intelligent user friendly manner; to design plug in modules to enable the instrument to work in a variety of environments; to calibrate the instrument to give a direct output of the polarization at the instant when it is measured for 3He and 129Xe, to package, test, and arrange the manufacture of a final model.
MR imaging of the lungs and airways using hyperpolarized noble gases (3He and 129Xe) is particularly useful in the early diagnosis and management of, e.g. emphysema, asthma, cystic fibrosis, COPD etc., as it reveals, with zero radiation dose, information about morphology and functioning of the lungs, circulation and soft tissues, not available with other techniques."
STTR Phase I: A Process to Develop Nano-Porous Surfaces for Enhancing Heat Transfer,0512339,NSF,NSF,STTR,2005,1,100000.00,Advanced Materials and Devices,4451 Lynnfield Way,,Reno,NV,89519-0929,Yes,No,No,Faramarz Gordaninejad,,7757846990,faramarz@unr.edu,Gregory H. Hitchcock,Mr.,7757625675,greg.hitchcock@charter.net,"This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Project will result in the generation of a new nano-technology specifically tailored to increase the efficiency of the boiling processes used in heat exchangers and electronics cooling hardware. Unlike traditional flat surfaces and previously investigated microporous surface (MPS) coatings, homogeneous nanoporous surfaces (NPS) offer a simple-to-manufacture and low cost means of achieving higher performance and more energy efficient heat transfer. Success and implementation of this technology will result in millions of dollars saved annually for utility companies and other commercial industries, including electronics and aerospace manufacturing companies. NPS nanotechnology improves heat exchanger performance through its ability to generate smaller bubbles. Previously investigated MPS surface coatings do allow for the generation of somewhat smaller bubbles than traditional flat surfaces, but offer a limited life span. The proposed NPS nanotechnology, made of traditional boiling surface materials, precisely modulates the porosity and structure of surfaces, thus yielding smaller bubbles with higher bubble density in any given fluid volume. Manufacturing methods, fabrication of prototype NPS candidates, testing of surfaces, and reporting of results will be performed in this Phase 1 effort. Commercially, the result is a significant improvement in heat exchanger performance. The proposed work will, for first time, demonstrate a nanoporous heat exchanger enhancement. It will allow the development of a low-cost, highly effective heat exchanger. Given the increasing interest in nano-technology, the result of this project will have a significant impact on the nano-technology development. Being able to treat the heat exchanger surface would have significant impacts on science and engineering, from pool boiling to nuclear power plants, to high density thermal heat exchangers in microchips."
STTR Phase I: Supramolecular Proton Exchange Membranes for Fuel Cells,0512917,NSF,NSF,STTR,2005,1,100000.00,Advanced Materials and Devices,4451 Lynnfield Way,,Reno,NV,89519-0929,Yes,No,No,Faramarz Gordaninejad,,7757846990,faramarz@unr.edu,Gregory H. Hitchcock,Mr.,7757625675,greg.hitchcock@charter.net,"This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project develop a new generation of proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology. The proposed project will investigate processing techniques for synthesizing polyphosphazine membranes, which are hydrogen bonded to form supramolecules. Such supramolecular interactions can be fully miscible or self organized polymeric backbones to form two or more directional protonically conducting nanoscale channels. This will offer improved proton conductivity while being more economical to manufacture over existing PEM technologies. The ""Roadmap to a Hydrogen Economy - 2030"" predicts that fuel cells to emerge between 2010-2020. Technology breakthroughs in PEMs and MEAs and their manufacturability are needed in order to make this timeline a reality. This will require low cost, reliable systems based on new PEM technologies. The proposed project, if successful, can have a significant impact on the fuel cell technology."
Novel one-step purification with a sortase fusion,1R43GM074422-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,Advanced Protein Labs,Advanced Protein Labs,"505 Coast Blvd S, Ste 412",La Jolla,CA,92037 0461,Yes,Yes,No,Hongyuan Mao,,8587543014,HMAO@SAN.RR.COM,Hongyuan Mao,,8587543014,HMAO@SAN.RR.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): A new protein fusion expression system was conceptualized and is being developed to provide tag-free recombinant protein purification via one-step chromatography. Phase I of this project includes optimization of the activity of the key component in the fusion construct, streamlining the target cloning method, and applications in bacteria expression system. Because this purification method is simple, low cost, time saving, Phase II of this project will advance the one-step method for eukaryotic expression and apply the method to producing proteins for proteomic studies and biotransformation applications."
Neuromorphic Control System for Powered Limb Splints,W911NF-05-C-0122,DOD,ARMY,STTR,2005,2,742007.00,"Advensys, Llc",11481 E. Bella Vista Dr.,,Scottsdale,AZ,85259,Yes,No,No,Vikram Jung,Vice President,4082633637,advensys@cox.net,Ranu Jung,President,6023277567,ranujung@ieee.org,"AdveNSys will develop a suite of products to provide new orthotic and prosthetic options for people with lower limb dysfunction or lower limb amputation. We will enhance our biologically-inspired adaptive neuromorphic control systems technology and integrate it with biomorphic compliant actuators, advanced sensor systems, and lightweight orthotic/prosthetic components to produce a suite of products to provide locomotion assistance. These systems will be used for acute-care in combat settings to provide functional bipedal mobility to injured soldiers. In addition, the systems will be used in post-acute and chronic care situations to enable injured individuals to more fully participate in a wide range of activities in military and civilian settings. AdveNSys will partner with clinical, industrial and academic research institutions to design, develop and evaluate this next-generation product suite that promises to revolutionize technology to overcome lower limb dysfunction both in military and civilian settings. The Phase II efforts will help mature the AdveNSys technology and deliver critical engineering models that will serve as the basis for development of production prototypes for mass production. It is a critical step in AdveNSys vision to Advancing Everyday Mobility for the 7.4 million people who currently use assistive technology devices for mobility impairments."
Light Weight Material for Ballistic Armor,W911W6-06-C-0032,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,2,730000.00,Aegis Technology Inc.,12620 F Westminster Ave.,,Santa Ana,CA,92706-2160,Yes,No,No,Bob Liu,President,7142651238,bobliu@aegistech.net,Timothy Lin,Chief Scientist,7142651238,bobliu@aegistech.net,"Weight reduction has become a primary concern in the development of future ballistic armor systems, which are beyond the capability of existing materials. Thus novel lightweight, ultrahigh strength materials are needed to meet the ever-increasing challenges of weight reduction. The proposed SBIR Phase II program will involve: (1) designing, developing, and manufacturing a novel class of lightweight nanostructured metal matrix composites (NMMCs) with ultrahigh strength,hardness, and high impact energy that can be used for future lightweight ballistic armor package systems; (2) further identifying the underlying technical issues that govern the fabrication and performance of these novel composites; (3) using this knowledge to design and manufacture novel lightweight ballistic armor systems that exhibit high survivability characteristics as required by the Army; and (4) implementing technology transfer for commercial production of armor products that satisfies all of the required performance metrics. These objectives are based upon the findings and success of Phase I that demonstrated: (1) the feasibility of Al-based NMMCs that can be potentially applied to lightweight ballistic armor systems, and (2) the feasibility of selecting mechanical milling as a process to fabricate nanostructured NMMCs powders, followed by consolidation into bulk geometries. The proposed NMMCs are based upon innovative concepts demonstrated through recent developments in the synthesis of both nanostructured materials and metal matrix composites (MMCs). Specifically, we will develop and manufacture nanostructured Al alloy based NMMCs that are reinforced with sub-micrometer- or micrometer-sized B4C or SiC particles. The proposed Phase II research will focus on issues in optimizing parameters such as processing and material systems used. In addition to ultrahigh strength and lightweight properties, other advantages of NMMCs over current armor materials include low cost, better formability, multi-hit capability, and compact size. The NMMCs are intended for lightweight armor materials that will improve both the design and the fabrication of future armor package systems with unprecedented weight reduction."
"An Advanced Power Converter System Using High Temperature, High Power Density SiC Devices",DE-FG02-05ER86234,DOE,DOE,STTR,2005,1,99898.00,Aegis Technology Inc.,12620 F Westminster Ave.,,Santa Ana,CA,92706-2160,Yes,No,No,Bob Liu,Mr.,7142651238,aegiste1400@earthlink.net,Timothy Lin,Dr.,7142651238,aegiste1400@earthlink.net,"79354 Electronic power conversion systems (PCS) introduce major cost and reliability issues in most distributed energy resources and energy storage systems. Devices based on silicon carbide (SiC), which have gained a lot of recent interest, offer the advantages of high efficiency, small size and light weight. This project will develop a power converter, based on these emerging SiC power devices, which would be capable of operation at high power density, high temperature, and high frequency. In particular, system benefits will be quantified and issues related to SiC circuit design, packaging, and reliability will be addressed. Phase I will demonstrate technical feasibility by: (1) conducting circuit design and power module/converter modeling to evaluate the effects of SiC devices on the thermal management of a converter system; (2) developing high-temperature, high-heat-flux packaging; and (3) constructing and demonstrating a prototye SiC power converter. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: In addition to the application for distributed energy resources, robust, space saving, economically priced, high performance SiC-based power modules should find application in electric and hybrid-electric vehicles, and in power inverters/converters and actuator controllers used in industry and in military ships/vehicles."
"Miniaturized, low weight, low cost interceptor components for the Multiple Kill Vehicle (MKV)",HQ0006-05-C-7112,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99793.00,"AERO THERMO TECHNOLOGY, INC.","620 Discovery Drive, NW, Building I, Suite 100",,Huntsville,AL,35806,Yes,No,No,Wendy S. Wilson,President,2569221141,wwilson@aerothermo.com,Robert A. Spencer,Principal Investigator,2569221141,aspencer@aerothermo.com,"Aero Thermo Technology, Inc., and our partner ITT, propose a focused research effort to address key lethality aspects for miniaturized, low weight kill vehicles in support of the Multiple Kill Vehicle (MKV) Program. Lethality is a critical issue for BMD concepts that employ small, low mass kill vehicles. Kill Vehicle (KV) concepts and designs are being developed by MKV that have significantly less mass than currently deployed or tested designs. Kill vehicles with mass as low as two kilograms have been proposed. These KVs employ ultra-lightweight components and lower density component housing and structural members. However, the destructive potential of these small KVs has not been demonstrated. A research effort is needed that considers the expected engagement conditions, the KV component materials, the overall packaging and the KV structural arrangement to assess the lethality potential of these miniature KVs. We propose to address this need through parametric analysis using state of the art computer simulations and detailed structural FEA models of small, low mass, kill vehicles and the threat warheads. The results of this effort will provide MDA/MKV program officials with quantative lethality assessments and lethality requirements for miniature KVs. Products of the Phase I effort will include lethality assessments, miss distance requirements, and recommendations for KV structural layout and component materials that will enhance lethality. The results of this effort will also be useful as a guide for future KV miniaturization programs"
Microchip Capillary Electrophoresis for On-Line Monitoring of Inorganic Aerosols,EP-D-05-058,EPA,EPA,SBIR,2005,2,219136.00,"AEROSOL DYNAMICS, INC.",935 Grayson St.,,Berkeley,CA,94710-2640,Yes,No,No,Susanne Herring,President,5106499360,Susanne@aerosol.us,Susanne Herring,President,5106499360,susanne@aerosol.us,"A compact and affordable, microchip-based system for the automated, in situ analysis of inorganic ions in atmospheric aerosols will be develop and verified against traditional, filter-based methods. Our approach combines tow new technologies: (1) a growth tube impactor for particle collection and (2) lab-on-a-chip (LOC) analysis of sulfates and nitrates. The growth tube impactor enlarges individual airborne particles by water condensation in a laminar, thermally diffusive flow. Once encapsulated within a water droplet, particles with diameter of 0.015 um or larger are deposited directly onto a small reservoir on the LOC. The LOC utilizes capillary electrophoresis with embedded conductivity detection. Separation of sulfates and nitrates is achieved in tell than tow minutes, with detection limits of 1 uM. The instrument will provide 5-min time resolution for PM2.5 sulfate and nitrate with detection limits of 1oo ng/m3 or better. The analyzer will be both quiet and compact. The pressure drop required for sampling is just 0.5kPa, and thus pumping requirements are small. As such, it will be suitable of microenvironmental sampling, in offices, homes and schools, as well as at air monitoring stations. By providing a low cost alternative to other continuous analyzers, widespread deployment will be encouraged"
"A Couette-Taylor Size Classifier for Coarse, Airborne Particles",DE-FG02-05ER84270,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,87600.00,"AEROSOL DYNAMICS, INC.",935 Grayson St.,,Berkeley,CA,94710-2640,Yes,No,No,Susanne V. Herring,Dr.,5106499360,susanne@aerosol.us,Suzanne V. Herring,Dr.,5106499360,susanne@aerosol.us,"78167S05 Airborne particles significantly influence the radiative budget of the earth's atmosphere through direct scattering and absorption of solar and thermal infrared radiation, and through modification of the earth's cloud cover. Important to these effects is the aerosol size distribution and the aerosol hygroscopicity. Better measurements are needed for both of these parameters in particle size ranges larger than that spanned by current mobility systems, namely, for particle diameters greater than 0.5 ┐m. This project will develop a particle size classifier based on aerodynamic balancing within a Couette-Taylor flow. Phase I will design, construct, and conduct laboratory tests of the Couette Taylor Particle Size Classifier. Specific objectives are to assess the precision of size selection, the transmission efficiency of the selected size, and the extent to which these parameters can be described from first principles. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The particle size classifier, designed for the particle size range above 0.5 ┐m, should be comparable in function to the differential mobility analyzers now used for size selection of smaller particles. Commercial applications should include instrument calibration, laboratory experiments, and ambient aerosol measurements."
Two Dimensional Chromatography of Atmosheric Aerosols: A New In-Situ Instrument,DE-FG02-05ER86235,DOE,DOE,STTR,2005,1,99997.00,"AEROSOL DYNAMICS, INC.",935 Grayson St.,,Berkeley,CA,94710-2640,Yes,No,No,Susanne Hering,Dr.,5106499360,susanne@aerosol.us,Susanne V. Hering,Dr.,5106499360,susanne@aerosol.us,"79160 Organic matter is a major constituent of airborne particles, comprising 20-50% of the PM2.5 mass in many regions; yet, its characterization is difficult. Especially important is the real-time characterization of organic matter at the molecular level. To better understand the effects of organic matter on climate, and to understand sources of these aerosols, better characterization methods are needed. This project will develop an in situ instrument that would dramatically improve our ability to separate, identify, and quantify individual organic compounds. The instrument will utilize multidimensional chromatography and time-of-flight mass spectrometry coupled to an aerosol collection and thermal desorption system. Phase I will test the interface of the aerosol collection system with multidimensional chromatography, using both known standard aerosols and ambient aerosols. Analyses will be done by flame ionization detection. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Commercial applications include the monitoring of atmospheric aerosols for elucidating the role of organic matter on the global radiation balance for climate research, and for understanding the sources of organic matter for developing air pollution control strategies."
SBIR Phase II: Enabling Pedagogical Choice and Cost-Efficiency in the Development of Web-based Curricula,0450380,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,2,500000.00,Agile Mind,1100 South Main Street,,Grapevine,TX,76051 0761,Yes,No,No,Linda J. Chaput,Ms,4153854632,lchaput@thinkfive.com,Linda J. Chaput,Mr,4153854632,lchaput@thinkfive.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will build a first-release Web-based system for content authoring and delivery that supports multiple approaches to pedagogical practice and provides efficient, easy to use methodologies with which course designers can employ system capabilities. Specifically, this project will continue the work started and demonstrated to be feasible in Phase I to create online authoring and complementary course management systems, which have features and benefits that are immediately available to innovative instructional designers. The goal is to enable the development of technology-mediated instruction through cost-effective means for producing new content and to do so with a focus on supporting instructional design innovation without compromising the capabilities of the technology. The goal is an innovation that will empower content providers to use principled learning theories and pedagogical practices for creating new online curricula that support technology-mediated instruction. The project will produce a new type of authoring and delivery system in which the functionality available to create course structure; manage multimedia content development; translate course specification into reliable production delivery; and access course-related activities for learners and their teachers or mentors, including dynamic learning interactions and real-time behavior tracking and reporting reflects the authors' preferred learning theories and pedagogies. This project seeks to provide a set of enabling tools that support the development of technology-mediated instruction through cost-effective means for producing content, focused on supporting instructional design innovation without compromising the capabilities of the technology. The commercial applications of the research result are sales and licenses of the created systems, both with and without content, to content developers, publishers, and also middle and high schools, districts, and other local entities for use by individuals and groups who desire to create and to publish content and assessments for communities of practice and who are impeded by cost and time constraints. The resulting systems will address a major problem in education: the consolidation of content development and dissemination in the hands of a small number of publishing conglomerates and the consequent lack of quality and diversity of choice that have been a result of that consolidation. With an extensible authoring system, the company would be positioned to tap into a large market with a business model that supports both new business development and the legacy assets of publishers and eLearning providers, and to create major new opportunities for many other types of content providers."
SBIR Phase I: Providing Tools for Richer eLearning Assessment,0441519,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,Agile Mind,1100 South Main Street,,Grapevine,TX,76051 0761,Yes,No,No,Linda J. Chaput,Ms,4153854632,lchaput@thinkfive.com,Adele Goldberg,Dr,6508568720,adele@thinkfive.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will study the feasibility of creating test construction tools that allow school educators to conveniently produce and deliver tests ranging from informal assessments of mastery that can be given and taken on the fly, to tests that benchmark progress of instruction against goals. The key innovations are (1) the capability to define answer analyses for stored question items so that the test constructor can know in advance what the test can report about what test-takers likely know and do not know, and (2) the capability to represent question items in a form in which actual experience can be used to improve the assessment corpus. The objective is to create tests that move beyond the current broadly-accepted applications that consist entirely of multiple-choice questions and that include varied and even game-like question types incorporating motivational and pedagogically effective feedback; that is, question types which teach while they assess. These are question types, such as drag-and-drop, matching, fill-in-the-blank sentence, and table builders that may have multiple correct answers, which do not have broadly agreed upon wrong answer distractors, and which typically require more experience to define what errors imply about the test-takers' knowledge and skills. The aim of the project is not to compete with high-stakes tests, but to move beyond current applications that consist entirely of multiple-choice questions. This project is a first step in determining whether the strategy of focusing on improving .low-stakes. assessments has merit commercially as well as intellectually. Multiple-choice and constructed answer exams have long proven highly efficient tools for state and national high-stakes exams. A problem with multiple-choice questions, however, is that many do not assess what students know but only what students demonstrate they know. Certain types of students typically perform better than others on multiple-choice tests. In a period of heightened accountability, the difficulty of designing fair test items that can withstand legal challenge has made multiple-choice, by consensus, the only efficient, reliable form of high-stakes assessment in states representing most of the school-age population. Because there are many students in environments in which their learning is measured almost solely by multiple-choice tests who are not served well, a significant contribution to exploratory learning can be made by increasing what learners can experience by making assessments more intrinsically interesting and also by improving the kinds of formative feedback available to students, teachers, and administrators."
Automated Weapons Assembly and Missile De-canning System,N00024-05-C-4132,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,99983.00,"AGILE SYSTEMS, INC.",3050 Clover Road,,Bethel,OH,45106,Yes,No,No,Nancy Karlen,President,5137347009,nkarlen@adelphia.net,James P. Karlen,VP,5137347009,jkarlen@aol.com,"Opportunities exist today to utilize proven robotics technology to automate the process of building air-launched ready service weapons aboard aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships. Affordable and reliable automated systems, working in concert with crew members, promise means to increase ordnance throughput rates sufficiently to support the most aggressive sortie generation rates, while significantly reducing crew workload and improving safety. Two flexible, reconfigurable automation systems are proposed to perform different, but related functions: First, a work cell will be developed that is capable of assisting ordnancemen in the assembly of bomb-based ordnance, including MK-80 and BLU-series gravity bombs and precision-guided munitions such as the JDAM and Paveway. Second, a work cell will be developed that is capable of removing missiles and other all up rounds from their shipping containers and loading MHU-191 transport skids automatically. In Phase I, a detailed analysis of current weapons assembly and de-canning operations will be conducted and a concept for the overall system and key subsystems will be developed and evaluated. In Phase II, an engineering prototype of a JDAM assembly system will be built and demonstrated."
Low Temperature Sintered Conductive Adhesives for use in the Packaging of High-Power Electronics,HQ0006-05-C-7244,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,2,749999.00,"Aguila Technologies, Inc.","310 Via Vera Cruz, Suite 107",,San Marcos,CA,92078-,Yes,No,No,M. A. Capote,President,7607521199,macapote@aguilatech.com,Alan Grieve,Senior Scientist,7607521192,agrieve@aguilatech.com,"There is a need for improvement in the performance of thermally and electrically conductive polymeric adhesives used in electronic packaging. In particular, there are few polymeric materi-als that are suitable for replacing eutectic solder bonding in electronic devices used in high-temperature environments, such as the operating environment of high power wide bandgap elec-tronic devices. The US Navy Radar development roadmap plans for the insertion of high power microwave devices (High Voltage GaAs, SiC,GaN) into solid-state radar systems by 2007. These new devices will operate at power densities over 10X of current GaAs MMICs. Efficient device cooling is critical towards meeting device performance and reliability requirements. Due to manufacturing considerations, current packaging strategies utilize both solder and thermally conductive adhesives for device bonding. However, most conductive adhesives do not exhibit satisfactory thermal performance and are the majority contributor to thermal rise in device junc-tion temperatures (Tjc). We have developed a low-temperature sintering adhesive that, with some modification, will address these performance issues. Our unique formulation incorporates a novel polymeric resin that can be tailored to cure rapidly over a varied temperature range. It is solvent-free and easily processed. Incorporation of a combination of suitable alloy powders in this resin formulation allows the preparation of composite adhesives capable of forming metal-lurgical connections to a variety of metal surfaces. Additional development will yield adhesives with electrical and thermal conductivity properties similar to solder materials but with the proc-essing advantages of current polymeric adhesives."
A Directional Gamma Auto Spectrometer,NBCHC060021,DHS,DHS,SBIR,2005,1,99994.00,"Aguila Technologies, Inc.","310 Via Vera Cruz, Suite 107",,San Marcos,CA,92078-,Yes,No,No,M. Albert Capote,President,(760) 752-1199,macapote@aguilatech.com,M. Albert Capote,President,(760) 752-1199,,"The Government is deploying a growing number of radiation detectors at U.S. borders, ports of entry and other key locations, intended to assist in the detection of a potential terrorist`s nuclear explosive device or radiological dispersal device. The most widely deployed radiation detector products today are radiation ""pagers"". Such products are unable to differentiate between natural radiation, legitimate and clandestine radioactive materials, resulting in a disturbingly high incidence of false positives. There is a need for a device that can provide radionuclide identification and spatial differentiation in portable unit. This proposal will develop a low-cost, battery-operated handheld radiation sensor with these features. The proposed sensor will allow trained personnel in the field to locate and identify potentially threatening radionuclides. It will differentiate radioactive sources as potentially dangerous or likely benign and provide radioemitter source direction, distance and size information. It is based on pixel array CdZnTe detectors, new multichannel detector readout ASICS, directionally-sensitive elements, state-of-the art high density packaging and novel software and firmware that can deconvolve nuclear spectra to identify myriad combinations of gamma radiation sources."
High Resolution Digital Imaging X-ray Detectors,4R42CA110192-02,HHS,HHS,STTR,2005,2,2183056.00,"Aguila Technologies, Inc.","310 Via Vera Cruz, Suite 107",,San Marcos,CA,92078-,Yes,No,No,M. Capote,,7607521199,MACAPOTE@AGUILATECH.COM,M. A. Capote,,7607521199,macapote@aguilatech.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The aim is to develop a high resolution, high contrast detector for digital x-ray imaging systems. The target detector would have a Detective Quantum Efficiency much greater than 80%, a limiting resolution of at least 10 lp/mm, ultra-low noise, linear response and a dynamic range of more than 14 bits. The proposal is to build such a detector by using CdZnTe crystals. The detector crystal is hybridized to a readout integrated circuit device that allows the signal to be collected efficiently, digitized and stored in a computer as an image matrix. The planned individual detector unit, designed for use in a slot scan system, has 192 stages in the scan direction and 384 columns in the non-scan direction. The detectors are planned to be mounted in a staggered array with overlap at the ends up to the full breast x-ray image width (approximately 25 cm) in the non-scan direction. The detector pixel pitch will be 50 microns with 100% fill factor. Compared to the present film systems, a reduction of patient dose by a factor of six can be achieved without loss of image quality. To achieve these objectives, in this proposal we plan to develop and demonstrate: a high quality and high spatial resolution bump bonding technique; an optimized readout IC for the CZT crystals; and a reliable, low-cost, high throughput technique to test and select high quality, high uniformity CZT crystals."
"High-Speed, Low Power 256 Channel Gamma Radiation Array Detector ASIC",NNG05CA35C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69878.00,"Aguila Technologies, Inc.","310 Via Vera Cruz, Suite 107",,San Marcos,CA,92078-,Yes,No,No,M. Albert Capote,President,7607521199,macapote@aguilatech.com,M Albert Capote,Principal Investigator,7607521199,macapote@aguilatech.com,"Building on prior success in detector electronics, we propose to design and fabricate a 256 channel readout ASIC for solid state gamma radiation array detectors having a power consumption of less 100 microW/pixel, an event detection throughput of more than 10,000 events/sec, and a dynamic range of 20-600KeV, while providing a spectral resolution of 1% or less in a footprint of less than 12 x 12 mm. This will allow the creation of high-speed 20 x 20 mm CZT detectors with 256 to 512 pixels (1 mm or less pitch). Starting with prior proven designs, we will introduce an innovative, patent-pending readout scheme that reduces digitization to only one signal per channel. We will also replace polling methods with sparse access and an innovative technique that can keep most of the pixels operating while reading out data. These innovations may increase the ASIC event detection rate by orders of magnitude while reducing system power and processing requirements. These innovations are essential for upgrading current gamma detection technology for future missions. There exists no ASICs today that can come close to achieving this performance."
Permanent Fiber Optic Splice,N68835-05-C-0140,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,749474.00,"ALL OPTRONICS, INC.","Arizona Center for Innovation, UA Sci &",,Tucson,AZ,85747,Yes,No,No,Katherine Liu,President,5202291324,ao.kliu@comcast.net,Katherine Liu,President,5202291324,ao.kliu@comcast.net,"We will develop a permanent fiber optic splice prototype that is specially designed to meet the stringent performance and reliability requirements for military and aerospace avionic applications. This permanent fiber optic splice is intended to provide < 1 dB change in insertion loss over a wide range of operating environment, including a temperature change from -65 to 150 C. It will also provide the ultimate mechanical strength to enable a cable reconstruction in repair of broken fiber optic cables. Furthermore, we will develop a splicing fixture prototype that is user friendly and has a small footprint. A simplified splicing process will be established for field applications, while spark hazards associated with splicing equipment is eliminated. In the Phase II program, optical, mechanical, and environmental tests of the fiber splice prototype samples will be carried out following relevant MIL standards."
Innovative molecular cytogenetic techniques for early leukemia/lymphoma detection,1R43CA117161-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,231815.00,"Chromotrax, Inc.","Chromotrax, Inc.","2000 N 14Th St, Ste 530",Arlington,VA,22201 0250,Yes,Yes,No,,,7035583400,,Joe N. Lucas,,7035583400,LUCAS@CHROMOTRAX.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose an innovative approach combining two separate, novel techniques to greatly enhance accurate detection of leukemia or lymphoma cells, which can be used ultimately for diagnostics and early detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) in bone marrow, lymph nodes, and peripheral blood. The novel techniques of our approach are: (1) A two-step method to generate repetitive sequences depleted DMA probes. The method includes subtracting hybridized biotin-labeled repetitive-sequence DNA complex with phenol and chloroform and a second subtraction using avidin labeled magnetic beads. The unique sequences are then recovered using our dual unique sequence primers. (2) A novel technique of hybridizing chromosomes in suspension with fluorescently-labeled repetitive sequences depleted DNA probes, in combination with flow cytometric analysis or magnetic sorting, in order to sensitively, precisely and rapidly quantify leukemia or lymphoma-related chromosome translocations and rearrangements. Morphologic examination has a detection sensitivity of 1 in 100. PCR technique is very sensitive, but lack of accurate quantitation still is a problem. By contrast, hybridizing chromosomes in suspension has a potential sensitivity of 1 in 1,000,000. We propose to use leukemia as a model to demonstrate solution hybridization technique in conjunction with repetitive sequences depleted DNA probes as a sensitive and specific technique for accurate detection of MRD. Early detection of MRD will increase patient survival and profoundly impact cancer patient management."
Electrochemical Hydrogen Compressor,DE-FG02-05ER84220,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,99982.00,ANALYTIC POWER LLC,2-X Gill Street,,Woburn,MA,01801,Yes,No,No,Ann H. Bloomfield,Ms.,7819351333,ann.bloomfield@analytic-power.,David P. Bloomfield,Mr.,7819351333,david.bloomfield@analytic-powe,"78241S Today┐s mechanical, hydrogen compression technology is inefficient, costly, unreliable, and lacking in durability. The inefficiency is derived from the fact that piston and diaphragm compressors are, essentially, isentropic machines. The other problems mentioned above are common to electromechanical systems that have many types of moving parts. This project willl develop an electrochemical hydrogen compressor as a highly modular, isothermal device with no moving parts. Phase I will demonstrate the feasibility of the hydraulic cathode, which circulates water through the compressor cathode, both cooling the cell and humidifying the membrane. By permitting the use of dry hydrogen in the anode, the fundamental problem of anode flooding, a principal difficulty in prior designs, can be avoided. Phase I also will demonstrate the use of improved, corrosion resistant materials and coatings. In Phase II, using a stack of the cells designed and built in Phase I, an extended lifetime test will be run. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Electrochemical hydrogen compressors could provide a low cost, modular, efficient alternative to the mechanical compressors used in petroleum refineries, which consume about 37% of all the hydrogen produced in the world. Because of its modularity and potential low cost, the electrochemical hydrogen compressor also should be of interest to the compressor industry, which provides 5000 to 3000 psi via diaphragm compressors."
Hydrogen Separation from a Logistic-Fuel Reformate Stream,N65538-05-M-0146,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,69892.00,ANALYTIC POWER LLC,2-X Gill Street,,Woburn,MA,01801,Yes,No,No,Ann Bloomfield,Vice President,7819351333,ann.bloomfield@analytic-power.com,Valerie Bloomfield,VP Engineering,7819351333,valerie.bloomfield@analytic-power.com,"Despite fifteen years of R&D, PEM fuel cell power plants have not been successfully deployed on naval vessels. The principal cause is the fuel processor, which must operate on diesel fuel with up to 1wt% sulfur, but provide pure hydrogen to a PEM fuel cell that is intolerant of impurities. The fuel processors must be small, efficient and inexpensive. These have been the Navy goals for as long as they have sponsored fuel cell development. Analytic's Clean Gas Reformer meets these requirements. The program objective is to build a reformer as insensitive to sulfur as the power plants currently used on ships. The internal hydrogen separation element is optimized by building on the work completed in previous SBIR and commercially funded reformer programs. while taking advantage of new technological advances. Hydrogen separation by a glass membrane will be measured and characterized. Finally, the ATR catalyst performance and stability on NATO F76 fuel will be proved. The program culminates with the preliminary design of the fuel processor to be built under Phase II."
Development of Endurable Thermal Barrier Coatings for Diesel Engine Specific Heat Reduction,W56HZV-05-C-0088,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119982.00,"ANALYTICAL ENGINEERING, INC.",2555 Technology Blvd.,P.O. Box 2603,Columbus,IN,47202 2603,Yes,Yes,No,Barry Czachura,Vice President,8123766472,barry@aei-tech.com,Melvin Woods,Program Manager,8123766472,Melvin.Woods@aei-tech.com,"This program proposes to develop advanced thermal barrier coatings and an advanced thermal insulating exhaust port runner to reduce high power density diesel engine heat rejection. Analytical Engineering, Inc. along with APS-Materials, Inc. and Ceradyne Thermal Materials will develop and bench test thermal barrier coatings that will address the important issues of thermal insulating effectiveness and durability. In addition, an advanced thermal insulation exhaust port ceramic monolith with compliant layer will be developed to accommodate the severe thermal shock and shrinkage that occurs during the casting process. Thermal barrier coatings will be developed to address the issues of radiation translucence and convective heat exchange between the coating surface porosity and in-cylinder gases. To maximize insulating effectiveness it is proposed that the thermal barrier coating combustion chamber surface porosity be closed off and sealed with materials that will either block or reflect thermal radiation. To maximize coating durability the plasma sprayed coating substrate will be engineered for optimum stress control by means of graded coatings, optimized grain size, controlled variable density distribution, micro-crack control, post-densification etc."
Transonic Stability Test of Variable Drag Ballute,NND05AA05C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,2,598822.00,"ANDREWS SPACE, INC.",505 5th Ave S,Suite 300,Seattle,WA,98104,Yes,No,No,Marian S. Joh,Chief Executive Officer,2064380600,mjoh@andrews-space.com,Dana G. Andrews,Principal Investigator,2064380630,dandrews@andrews-space.com,"Ballutes, or inflatable decelerators, offer significant advantages over rigid shells for aerocapture of planetary spacecraft and for earth reentry of cargo by providing mass savings and simplified packaging features. Traditional ballutes, however, have provided little or no trajectory control. For new platform functionality, high drag must be accompanied by some degree of control; also, incorporating thermal protection into the design provides additional weight savings. Ballutes are typically designed to create a low ballistic coefficient, reducing heating rates. However, a low ballistic coefficient also makes them inherently susceptible to insertion trajectory errors, atmospheric density variations, and winds. The use of a variable drag design allows for in-flight adjustment of ballistic coefficient. This significantly lowers downrange dispersions, resulting in a higher reliability recovery system. The specific innovation proposed is the design of a forward-attached, variable drag ballute for atmospheric entry. To demonstrate dispersion control in a forward-mounted ballute, Andrews proposes two flight tests of a subscale, pressure-supported, symmetric ballute that modulates drag by internal pressure control. The experiments are designed to demonstrate the ability to actively vary drag and prove transonic stability while avoiding an aeroheating environment requiring specialized thermal materials."
Ordnance Research for Complex Dispensing Warheads,FA8651-05-C-0225,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99856.00,"Anyar, Inc.","2113 Lewis Turner Blvd, Suite 104",,Fort Walton Beach,FL,32547-,Yes,Yes,No,Rayna McGlockton,President,8502179938,mikemcg@gnt.com,Lisa Radliff,Staff Engineer,8502179938,mikemcg@gnt.com,"The primary purpose of this proposal is to study and demonstrate the feasibility of building a fast-running physics based simulation of a warhead that dispenses several independent submunitions from the warhead using a Windows based PC to host the simulation. In the simulation system to be designed, each submunition will ""guide"" itself independently to a representative above ground (or hard) target. The collection of dispensed submunitions will penetrate into dispersed target void spaces in the target model, which will allow each submunition to interact with target subcomponents such as barrels, computers, etc. To couple the evolving forces and moments on objects in the simulation, the simulation system must be designed to employ a basic 6-DOF integrator that will accurately and efficiently estimate the new state of multiple colliding, interacting objects."
Development of a PCR-Based Identification System for Distinguishing Tuna Species,2005-33610-15491,USDA,USDA,SBIR,2005,1,74508.00,"APL Sciences, Inc.",3610 NW 42nd Terrace,,Gainesville,FL,32606,Yes,No,No,LeeAnn Applewhite,Vice President,3523769762,aplsci@bellsouth.net,LeeAnn Applewhite,Vice President,3523769762,aplsci@bellsouth.net,"Global market demands for fresh tuna products have resulted in increased pressure on tuna fisheries worldwide. As a result, consumer driven market pressures have created significant commercial importance in the U.S. market for certain high-value tuna species. Domestic tuna harvests and harvests by foreign sources determine the supply of raw tuna available to U.S. vendors. In fact, the U.S. is largely dependent on imported fresh tuna to meet market demand. Declines in tuna fisheries, tighter catch quotas, and increased competition in global raw-tuna markets create a special and immediate concern for quality control, product security, and supply chain continuity. These issues have implications for the consumer, who is completely dependent on producers to maintain product integrity and quality especially when shortfalls in supply occur. The purpose of this study is to develop a reliable DNA-based diagnostic that will allow for the unambiguous identification of the four most commercially valuable fresh tuna species. This diagnostic is necessary in order to insure accurate species identification, proper product labeling and traceability, and to aid in the monitoring of catch quotas and suspect and/or seized product."
Multi-Channel Plasma Switches,FA8650-05-M-2552,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99969.00,APPLIED PLASMA TECHNOLOGIES,7231 Woodley Place,,Falls Church,VA,22046,Yes,No,No,Igor Matveev,President & CEO,7035609569,i.matveev@att.net,Igor Matveev,President & CEO,7035609569,i.matveev@att.net,"Plasma switches are able to operate at a much higher energy density than traditional switched capacitor banks as well as handle much higher currents, and are particularly well suited for pulsed power applications. A present limitation on the implementation of open plasma switches into related technologies is the relatively short lifespan and low operational frequency at which these devices must operate. To overcome this limitation we are going to use our experience in development of plasma switches that are able to form short (rise time 5-100 ns) high voltage (15-100 kV) pulses with current up to several kilo amperes and with a repetition frequency up to several kilo hertz, and to develop a method for splitting high impulse current into many channels with spark gaps. Each spark gap will have separate storage capacitance and charging circuit with controlled and adjustable charging current. Output cathodes of all spark gaps will be connected with the same load and all channel currents will be summarized by synchronizing of the spark gaps ignition. If successful, we will develop an advanced plasma switch consisted of multiple spark gaps that will be suitable for high currents and fast rise time capabilities."
Advanced Fluoropolymer Vessels for Ultra-Clean Ionization and Scintillation Detectors,DE-FG02-04ER83903,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,2,650000.00,"Applied Plastics Technology, Inc.",45 Broad Common Road,P.O. Box 45,Bristol,RI,02809,Yes,No,No,Andrew K. MacIntyre,Mr.,4012530200,andy.macintyre@ptfeparts.com,David L. Woisard,Mr.,4012530200,david.woisard@ptfeparts.com,"75336S A broad category of experiments in astro-particle and high energy physics requires the construction of ultra-high-purity and ultra-low-radioactive-background, cubic-meter-scale vessels to be used as containers for ionization and scintillation media. Double-beta decay experiments, solar neutrino experiments, and dark matter searches would all benefit from this technology. Plastics are among the materials with lowest radioactive contaminations, but they are usually not considered suitable because of their modest range of operating temperatures and their outgassing properties. This project will develop vessels made from high purity fluoropolymers, addressing the common problems of thermal expansion and stability at extreme temperatures, and vacuum/pressure sealing and plumbing, while maintaining ultra-low radioactivity properties. In particular, modified polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sintering and sealing process methods will be developed, leading to the production a 67 liter chamber for the Enriched Xenon Observatory (EXO). In Phase I, PTFE welding techniques were developed both for sealing the chamber and for attaching plumbing and adapter fittings; a technique was developed that successfully fused the chamber material while maintaining an interior temperature low enough to avoid damaging the drift cell components installed inside; and the chamber was installed at the EXO laboratory at Stanford University. Phase II will fabricate a larger prototype chamber for the EXO Project, and also develop PTFE welding techniques for thicker container wall sections. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The processing methods developed to fabricate the modified PTFE chamber should have application to semiconductor processing and chemical handling components, bio-reactors and other high purity bio-pharmaceutical labware, and medical devices. The ultra-low radioactive background properties may have use national security applications. The molding, sintering, and welding techniques should have uses in high purity applications that now utilize conventional compression molding processes."
Three-Dimensional Optical Coherence Tomography (3D OCT),NNC05CA08C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,2,599988.00,"Applied Science Innovations, Inc.",185 Jordan Road,,Troy,NY,12180,Yes,No,No,Mikhail A. Gutin,President,5182763637,gutin@appscience.com,Mikhail A. Gutin,Principal Investigator,5182763637,gutin@appscience.com,"Applied Science Innovations, Inc. proposes a new tool of 3D optical coherence tomography (OCT) for cellular level imaging at video frame rates and dramatically reduced probe cross-section. Existing commercial OCT tools are focused in ophthalmology, where examination is external to the eye, the size of the probe is not important, and cellular level resolution is not required. The patent-pending 3D OCT will provide three-dimensional imaging in scattering media with improved resolution, depth of field, and minimal mechanical adjustment. The proposed approach is based on novel probe designs, original coherence scanning, and advanced signal processing. The flexible imaging probe will have dramatically reduced cross-section, compared to the existing systems, enabling the first ""3D camera through a needle"" for functional imagery, including in-vivo histological examination. Phase I has demonstrated the proof of concept by theoretical studies and implementation of a limited experimental prototype. First generation packaged prototype will be developed in Phase II of the project and delivered to NASA Glenn Research Center for evaluation and field tests. Commercial applications are envisioned in NASA's future space missions, biomedical imaging, and industrial inspection."
Super-Zoom Endoscope (SuZE).,1R43DK066942-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,99976.00,"Applied Science Innovations, Inc.",185 Jordan Road,,Troy,NY,12180,Yes,No,No,Mikhail Gutin,,5188336897,GUTIN@APPSCIENCE.COM,Mikhail A. Gutin,,5182763637,GUTIN@APPSCIENCE.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In many endoscopic procedures it is desirable to monitor a wide field-of-view real-time image to navigate the tool inside the body, locating anatomical landmarks and switching to a close-up view once a region of interest is identified. Existing endoscopes with zoom capability have many limitations. In order to change the view from the wide-field to a detailed, high-magnification view, a combination of zoom, tilt, and panning is usually required, increasing the complexity of the procedure, requiring additional mechanical motion, and in some cases increasing the risk of trauma to the patient. Proposed is a feasibility study of a new imaging technology for endoscopy with capabilities exceeding the present state of the art. The new endoscope will feature high resolution and a wide range of magnifications, combining three functions of existing tools - zoom, panning, and tilt - in one seamless adjustment, to enable zooming into any portion of the wide-field image, on- or off-axis. An optional feature of the proposed technology is the capability to display the surveillance type, wide-field-of-view image simultaneously with the high-resolution, magnified image of the region of interest. In addition, the capability to display 2 or more different regions of interest with high magnification at the same time will be explored. The new system will provide the ""super zoom"" functionality with no mechanical motion of the endoscope, reducing the chance of trauma and making the procedure less invasive, to improve and benefit the patient care."
Enhance Visual Target Detection Using Nonlinear Stochastic Resonance Technique,FA9550-05-C-0148,DOD,USAF,STTR,2005,1,100000.00,"APPLIED SR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.","1953, 68th Street",,Brooklyn,NY,11204 4536,Yes,No,No,Xiaoming Zhuang,President,7182329243,xm_zhuang@yahoo.com,Zhong-Ping Jiang,Associate Professor,7182603646,zjiang@control.poly.edu,"Techniques to detect and identify the interested target burying in cluttered background and noise have been widely needed in both military and civilian applications. The enhancement of the target detectability is a critical factor in improving the performance of detectors. The team of Applied SR Technologies, Inc. and the Polytechnic University at Brooklyn, New York is exploring new interdisciplinary methods to address this important issue. Our proposed research focuses on the development of mathematical sound approaches to enhance visual target detection using techniques from nonlinear stochastic resonance, optimization and advanced control theory. The proposed numerical algorithms will be aimed at enhancing signal-to-noise ratios for improved visual target detection. In addition, the algorithms will be implemented and tested on standard image files."
Concurrent Clarification and Biological Nitrification/Denitrification in a Single Floating Bead Bioclarifier to Simplify Nitrogen Management in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems,DG133R-05-CN-1208,DOC,DOC,SBIR,2005,1,49990.00,"AQUACULTURE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES, L.L.C.",108 INDUSTRIAL AVE,,New Orleans,LA,70121-2902,Yes,No,No,Catherine H. Drennan,Member,5048375575,cathy@beadfilters.com,Douglas G. Drennan II,Managing Member,5048375575,douglas@beadfilters.com,"Commercial-scale marine aquaculture has the potential to balance the increasing demand for high-quality seafood products with the harvest capacity of our nation┐s oceans. However, water reuse in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) is limited by the accumulation of nitrate (NO3), which is toxic to many species in high concentrations. Therefore, NO3 removal by denitrification presents a pressing need for the aquaculture community. This project proposed to investigate the potential for using a single floating bead bioclarifier (FBB) to capture solids as well as nitrify and denitrify water in RAS. The sludge captured within the FBB will be used as a carbon source for denitrification. The volumetric rate of denitrification within FBB will be quantified based on filter backwash frequency and sludge retention time within the FBB. A computer model will then be created that will allow AST to size the FBB for a variety of both marine and fresh-water applications."
IMU Accuracy Enhancements for Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD),W9113M-05-C-0097,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99964.00,"Archangel Systems, Inc.",1635 Pumphrey Ave.,,Auburn,AL,36832-4302,Yes,No,No,Kitty Greene,President,3348268008,kitty@archangel.com,Marc Hill,Senior Scientist,3348268008,marc@archangel.com,"Improvements to the GMD EKV on-board INS includes augmentation of the IMU with GPS aiding. Uncorrected IMU errors and vehicle attitude errors impact the total EKV pointing error. The application of emerging low-cost MEMS based sensors creates new opportunities to include GPS aiding without sacrificing mass, volume and cost of the current EKV INS. The Archangel approach builds upon the existing miniature Inertial Measurement Cube (IM3) with modifications and additional compensation features to meet EKV goals. Starting with the IM3 enables immediate development of the needed combination of Fuzzy Logic Adaptive Signal Processing (FLASP) and Ultra-Tight Coupling compensation schemes. The output of the FLASP algorithm can be a complete INS solution with either tightly or ultra tightly coupled GPS. We propose a feasibility study that demonstrates the potential for reaching the very tight bias drift and random walk requirements of the EKV. The study will determine a baseline performance of an unaided IM3 used to compare with a GPS/INS coupled system"
Evolutionary and Neurobiologically Inspired Computational Platform for Autonomous Vehicle Control,W31P4Q-06-C-0025,DOD,DARPA,SBIR,2005,1,98987.00,"Archinoetics, LLC",2800 Woodlawn Drive,Suite 297,Honolulu,HI,96822-,Yes,No,No,Traci H. Downs,Chief Operating Officer,8083820314,traci@archinoetics.com,J. H. Downs III,Chief Science Officer,8082212131,hunter@archinoetics.com,"Building upon the Edelman's Neural Darwinism and Damasio's brain model, we propose a framework for creating evolutionary and neurobiologically inspired computational platforms for autonomous vehicle control as well as for applications in the arena of ambient intelligence. Additionally, we propose this framework within a larger one that includes sensor and actuator interfaces together with a communications infrastructure for social interaction. Phase I of this project includes the development of a specification for these platforms and the creation of prototype hardware. Phase II proposes an application with a population of these platforms."
MedNet: Consortium,N00014-06-M-0039,DOD,OSD,SBIR,2005,1,99991.00,"Archinoetics, LLC",2800 Woodlawn Drive,Suite 297,Honolulu,HI,96822-,Yes,No,No,Traci Downs,Chief Operating Officer,8083820314,traci@archinoetics.com,J. H. Downs III,Chief Science Officer,8082212131,hunter@archinoetics.com,"An increasingly common military medical need is the need for in-the-field acquisition of symptomatology, differential diagnosis of diseases potentially previously unseen by the medical professional, and identification of symptoms to the population at large. This need suggests a combination of intelligent diagnostic decision aids and knowledge gathering agents overlaid onto a highly flexible physiologic sensor and advanced connectivity infrastructure accessible by cognitively overloaded or untrained users. This Phase I proposal describes work to research, design, and simulate a conceptual approach to creating the MedNet: a deployable network of medical intelligence gathering and diagnostic assistance in the field. The following specific technical objectives will be pursued in Phase I: (a) define technical requirements for MedNet (b) research and design framework and interfaces for creating MedNet; (c) construct MedNet Architecture Specification; (d) leverage existing work to demonstrate feasibility of approach; and (e) report on Phase I activities, results, conclusions, and recommendations for Phase II in final report."
Creation of ASDRA (Autism Spectrum Disorder Risk Alert),1R43NS053046-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,449261.00,"TIRANOFF PRODUCTIONS, LLC",488 14TH STREET,,NEW YORK,NY,11215,Yes,No,No,,,7187886403,,Louise M. Tiranoff,,7187886403,LOUISE.TIRANOFF@VERIZON.NET,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Studies have shown that children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) can be detected in the first three years of life by experienced clinicians. A growing body of research indicates that if these children are recognized and provided with appropriate and intensive therapies, their long-term outcomes are improved. Genetic Lens has joined forces with a team of leading researchers in the early detection of ASD to create Autism Spectrum Disorders Risk Alert (ASDRA), a web-accessible, multi-media tool that will integrate the latest research findings with an extensive video database of the signs and common presenting features of ASD in young children, and an interactive, fully accredited training course. ASDRA will help pediatric medical practitioners understand the guiding principles of early recognition and referral for the timely initiation of appropriate services to improve the outcome of children with ASD. What makes ASDRA so unique is its ability to provide immediate and focused access to hundreds of hours of video clips that portray infants and toddlers with the risk indicators or red flags of ASD, along with comparison video of children who are developing typically or have other developmental disorders, all within the short timeframe of a patient appointment."
Field Programmable Gate Array Based Channelizer,FA9453-05-M-0089,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"The Athena Group, Inc.",408 West University Avenue,Suite 306,Gainesville,FL,32601-,Yes,No,No,Monica A. Murphy,President and CEO,3523712567,mmurphy@athena-group.com,Michael P. Lewis,Principal Engineer,3523712567,mike@athena-group.com,"This SBIR Phase I project, called the Athena Channelizer Technology 1, or ACT1, involves the innovation and evaluation of a new channelizer technology that will meet the needs of Department of Defense Transformational Communications program. Transformational communications is part of the military's overhaul of its currently diffused communications assets into an integrated system that expands military communications capabilities by an order of magnitude (10x). A critical enabling technology is a new class of 300 Mbps channelizers capable of assembling information channels by adaptively combining subbands found within a broadband spectrum, and also capable of efficiently operating in hostile environments using radiation hardened FPGA components. The proposed ACT1 solution is based on fusing a number of Athena authored and demonstrated innovations in the area of multi-band channelizers design, signal processing, design implementation, and fault tolerance. In Phase I, the proposed ACT1 solution will be developed and analyzed. When complete, ACT1 will provide the Transformational Communications Office with an infrastructure technology capable of adaptively maintaining acceptable bit-error-rates (BER), signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), and other signal quality metrics required to ensure the reliable delivery of information under a variety of satellite-borne conditions and circumstances."
Dynamic Peer Membership QA Software for Underserved Labs,1R43RR019825-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,115444.00,Atlantis Laboratory Systems,Atlantis Laboratory Systems,7703 Convoy Ct,San Diego,CA,92111 0110,Yes,No,No,Jacqueline Coleman,,8582688165,JACKIEC@ATLANTISLABS.COM,Jacqueline L. Coleman,,8582688165,JACKIEC@ATLANTISLABS.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant):
Clinical laboratory science is a $38 billion industry that is currently facing an unprecedented crisis of shortages in personnel and funding. Clinical laboratories must devote valuable resources to establish and maintain quality systems that produce accurate and precise testing results which meet regulatory requirements. Therefore, a commercial product that allows a clinical laboratory to save time and money performing these tasks will be profitable. This proposal describes the development of Neptune EQAL(TM), a virtual peer review program (statistical collaboration) designed to minimize resource requirements of the small laboratory. The major innovation of this approach to peer review will be the dynamic global membership achieved by the recognition of data transmitted that is unique to the individual laboratory.
Specific Aims: The four aims to be met to prove feasibility of this concept are: 1) Develop a design requirements document that adheres to the FDA standards for software validation; 2) Develop a design plan (software blueprint) that meets the design requirements created in aim 1; 3) Create a program as defined in the design plan released in aim 2 to allow remote laboratories to post information to a centralized data repository for comparison of their quality control data with peer laboratories; 4) Alpha test the program by remote site transmission.
Commercialization Potential: This potential availability of the product described in this proposal, targeted to more than 40,000 small-to-medium volume clinical laboratories in the US, has already created excitement in the clinical laboratory industry. For the first time, there will be dynamic enrollment in a virtual peer review group that is not tied to a single manufacturer of any type of product. Customers will be able to use this product for all of their instrumentation quality control, which is unique to the industry."
SPIDAR - SPinneret for IDentification And Reconnaissance,W31P4Q-06-C-0019,DOD,DARPA,SBIR,2005,2,736214.00,"AUTOMATIKA, INC.",137 Delta Drive,,Pittsburgh,PA,15238,Yes,No,No,Noellette Conway,Chief Executive Officer,4129681022,noellette@automatika.com,Noellette Conway,Chief Executive Officer,4129681022,noellette@automatika.com,"A tethered rapelling robot system, dubbed SPIDAR, will be built and tested, capable of use in collapsed urban environments for civil-defense and search-and-rescue and reconnaissance applications. The design is based on a modular and payload/marsupial-capable design optimized for use in environments considered for a variety of applications. The project will design, build and test a rugged prototype system to be tested in a variety of settings with the assistance of non-profit, industrial and government entities."
Constellation C3I Crew-Ground-Experimenter-Developer Collaboration Services,NNM05AA32C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69759.00,AZ Technology Inc,AL,,Huntsville,AL,35806-2188,Yes,No,No,Dawn Shanes,Business Official,2568379877,dawn@aztechnology.com,James Chamberlain,,2568379877,jimc@aztechnology.com,"The Command, Control, Communications and Information (C3I) environment will be significantly different for Constellation than for Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS). Missions will operate not only in Near Earth round-trip latencies (RTLT) of seconds but also Near Mars RTLT of 10 to 40 minutes. New classes of collaboration services are required to support the spectrum of Constellation missions and infrastructure. Integrating popular collaboration tools such as Groove Virtual Office on Constellation C3I space-based components and networks will be a major innovation. This project proposes experimental use in SBIR Phases II/III of ISS flight and ground capabilities to demonstrate new collaboration services for use in the Constellation program. These new space-based and terrestrial services will greatly improve communications among all Constellation personnel over current techniques. The approach includes: 1) Integrate instant messaging, e-mail, transcription, etc. with voice and video communications; 2) Design for automation and autonomy of space-based Constellation components; 3) Evolve development collaboration services into mission collaboration services over time; 4) Promote new collaboration standards, interoperability, standardized interfaces, and modularity; 5) Adapt the collaboration architecture to the ground and space networks and frameworks. Client-server, peer-to-peer, or a hybrid architecture may be most suitable."
Interactive CD Guide for Food-Borne Fungal Identification,2005-33610-15511,USDA,USDA,SBIR,2005,1,80000.00,"BCN Research Laboratories, Inc.",P. O. Box 50305,,Knoxville,TN,37950,Yes,Yes,No,Emilia Rico,,8655586819,emirico@msn.com,Emilia Rico,,8655586819,emirico@msn.com,"Filamentous microfungi (often colloquially known as ""molds"") are a major cause of food wastage throughout the world, accounting for the loss of about 10% of all food production. Although good textbooks on food mycology are available, a clear need exists for simpler and more visual identification systems. Because of ease of manufacture and use, interactive potential and ability to display color pictures, the CD is the ideal medium for such a system. However nothing of this sort is available. The proposed project aims to produce an interactive CD for the identification of food-borne fungi for use by industry personnel and consulting laboratories. The CD will be aimed not so much at mycologists, but at food bacteriologists, who have excellent training in microbiological techniques, but lack specialist knowledge of food mycology."
Handheld Multianalyte Biosensor Platform,NBCHC060033,DHS,DHS,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,TIRF Technologies,"951 Aviation Parkway, Suite 700",,Morrisville,NC,27560-9225,Yes,No,No,Alexander N. Asanov,President,(717) 561-7808,asn@tirftechnologies.com,Alexander N. Asanov,President and Scientific Director,(717) 561-7808,,"The goal of this project is to develop a handheld biosensor for rapid detection of bioanalytes such as proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, toxins, viruses, bacteria and other molecular targets that represent interest for the biodefense area. We propose to build a rugged device, similar to a palm computer, equipped with a disposable sensor cartridge designed for simultaneous detection of multiple target molecules with sensitivity at the level of single molecule detection. Inexpensive sensor cartridge will have an array of printed receptor molecules and set of reagents for a one-step detection process. For many existing technologies, rate of response is slow, which makes them useless for biodefense applications that need results in several minutes or less. In contrast to currently available technologies that require multiple stages of reagent injection and washing, the envisioned biosensor system is based on a one-stage process that allows detection of molecular signatures in a matter of seconds or a few minutes. Complex samples such as whole blood, saliva, suspensions of cells, and contaminated turbid solutions can be analyzed with no or minimum sample preparation stages. This SBIR project builds upon the experience of the investigators at TIRF Technologies in developing total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) biosensor systems. We have built a benchtop, analytical grade, versatile TIRF biosensor instrument, which detects single biomolecules. In the proposed project we will use our previous experience to develop a handheld multianalyte biosensor with exceptionally low probability of false positive and false negative responses. The proposed technology has the potential to revolutionize many areas that are related to life sciences, including the biodefense potential of the Department of Homeland Security. In Phase I we will demonstrate the feasibility of the envisioned handheld biosensor, and in Year 1 of Phase II build its upgradeable prototype. During Phase II we will partner with academic groups to test the biosensor on 20-30 bioanalytes. We have in-house facilities for rapid prototyping and small-volume manufacturing. In Year 2 of Phase II, anticipating large demand for the envisioned handheld biosensor, we plan to partner with manufacturing companies to start large-scale production. The envisioned biosensor can find broad application for biodefense, biomedical, environmental and forensic analyses."
Diagnostic aid software for the visual field test,2R44EY014077-02A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,631973.00,"BIOFORMATIX, INC.","12396 WORLD TRADE DR, STE 315",,SAN DIEGO,CA,92128-3786,Yes,No,No,,,8582482885,eva@bioformatix.com,Dariusz Wroblewski,,8582482884,dariusz@bioformatix.com,"Visual field (VF) test is a widely used, noninvasive technique for evaluating pathology or dysfunction in the visual pathways. The VF test, in conjunction with other diagnostics, is used for detection of laucoma and for following its progression. Early detection is critical as blindness from glaucoma is preventable in nearly all cases, provided treatment is administered early in the progression. There is a need for an automated decision aid tool that will facilitate and standardize the interpretation task. Following a successful Phase I feasibility demonstration, Phase II will apply novel machine learning approaches to the problem of glaucoma
diagnosis via an automated analysis of visual field and ancillary data. IAC will develop an integrated, user friendly software program that will provide a reliable detailed classification of glaucomatous and non-glaucomatous defects with the main emphasis on glaucomatous defects and early detection. The aim is to achieve classification accuracy close to that of a highly skilled human expert. The diagnosis suggested by the software will be supported by a set of comprehensive rules extracted from the classification algorithm. Optionally, the program will provide measures of visual field and glaucoma progression."
Label-Free High-Throughput Screening Platform,2R44GM074332-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,713506.00,"BIOPRAXIS, INC.",10655 SORRENTO VALLEY ROAD,Suite 200,SAN DIEGO,CA,92121,Yes,No,No,James Black,,8584522413,JBLACK1@BIOPRAXIS,Ann E. Grow,,8584522413,AGROW@BIOPRAXIS.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): High-throughput screening (HIS) assays for drug discovery and development rely on labels to determine whether a compound binds to the drug target. Label-based assays are time- and labor-intensive, yield limited information, and consume large amounts of expensive biomolecules and chemical libraries. Almost every target requires a different assay; and each new assay can take a year or more to develop. In fact, assay development has become the bottleneck in drug discovery and development, and constitutes a large chunk of the total costs. This SBIR program will develop a label-free, mix-and-measure platform assay, called ?SERS that can be used with any biomolecule target to detect the binding of any small ligand, with little or no assay development. Phase I showed ?SERS is exquisitely sensitive; can detect molecules in the 100-500 Da size range binding to enzymes, lectins, and DMA; can produce information on the binding chemistries involved; and is free from many artifacts that affect other label-free assays. On Phase II, the sensitivity will be improved even further, to enable high-throughput analysis; the assay will be miniaturized, so that only traces of biomolecules and compound libraries are consumed; and demonstrated with a wide range of biomolecules, including DMA, carbohydrates, and diverse proteins. Phase II will also showcase the ability to collect data from complex interactions involving two ligands, monitoring the amount of each ligand that binds, and their impact on each other and on the biomolecule. This platform will have many applications, including cost-effective high-throughput screening for drug lead identification and optimization; rapid in vitro adsorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) and toxicity assays; chemoproteomics (protein interaction profiling with small ligands); and functional glycomics (carbohydrate binding interactions). The platform will be simple to use, very low-cost, and produce a rich body of information on the binding interactions."
Label-Free Carbohydrate Expression Profiling,1R43GM075477-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,398106.00,"BIOPRAXIS, INC.",10655 SORRENTO VALLEY ROAD,Suite 200,SAN DIEGO,CA,92121,Yes,No,No,James Black,,8584522413,JBLACK1@BIOPRAXIS.COM,Ann E. Grow,,8584522413,AGROW@BIOPRAXIS.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): New methods for studying gene and protein expression, such as DNA and protein microarrays, have revolutionized the study of biological processes. Carbohydrate expression profiling could have a huge impact; however, carbohydrates are exceptionally difficult to analyze. Biopraxis proposes to develop a new, label-free microarray technology for rapidly profiling complex mixtures of glycans. The analysis will produce a three dimensional (3D) profile of sample glycans comprising (1) the specificities of the biomolecules to which the glycans bind; (2) spectral fingerprints of the biomolecule-glycan complexes; and (3) the intensities of those fingerprints. The 3D profiles from different samples can be compared, to detect differences in carbohydrate expression. Ultimately, this new technology will be developed as a platform tool for glycobiology, comprising a 'microarray reader' that can analyze microarrays designed for a variety of applications. For example, 'global' microarrays comprising thousands of different biomolecules can be used to detect differences in carbohydrate expression, and identify carbohydrate biomarkers associated with disease. The known specificities of the biomolecules to which the glycans bind, coupled with the information on glycan structure found in the spectral fingerprints, can be used to help elucidate the reasons for the differences in carbohydrate expression (e.g., the types of enzymes that were involved in carbohydrate synthesis.) Global arrays can also used to rapidly screen carbohydrates or carbohydrate mimetics for binding specificities. 'Content' microarrays comprising a few biomolecule pixels can be designed, e.g., for diagnostics based on multiple carbohydrate biomarkers; or to confirm that recombinant therapeutics are properly glycosylated during manufacture. Analysis will be very rapid, since the fingerprints can be collected in seconds. And because spectra can be collected from micron-sized pixels, traces of biomolecules will be consumed per chip, extremely small samples can be analyzed, and very little waste will be produced. Hence, life cycle costs will be very low."
SBIR Phase I: Production and Separation of Galacto-Oligosaccharides from Lactose for Prebiotic Food Applications,0512665,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"Bioprocessing Innovative Company, Inc.",4734 Bridal Path Court,,Dublin,OH,43017 2599,Yes,No,No,I-Ching Tang,Dr,6147611553,bictang@sbcglobal.net,I-Ching Tang,Dr,6147611552,bictang@sbcglobal.net,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a novel immobilized enzyme process to produce galactooligosaccharides (GOS) from whey lactose for probiotic food applications. The proposed GOS production process involves two immobilized enzyme reactors and product separation by nanofiltration and adsorption chromatography. Two different alpha-galactosidase enzymes with different GOS formation characteristics will be used to optimize GOS production and yield from lactose. The product stream from the second reactor will be sent to a nanofiltration (NF) separation unit, where GOS, lactose, galactose, and glucose could be separated to yield a product with a higher GOS composition. The process for adsorption with activated carbon and ion exchange liquid chromatography will be developed to further purify GOS. The commercial application of this project will be in the emerging probiotic and neutraceutical food market for use by both animals and humans. This market is estimated to be in excess of 2 billion dollars per year. The present use of GOS in foods is limited by the high production costs. These costs are attributed mainly to the high enzyme cost and low oligosaccharide yields (less than 30% w/w). The proposed technology is expected to reduce production costs by at least 50% due by improving reactor productivity and enzyme life. Further, the ability to use cheap whey precursor products (current price range : $ 0.12 - $ 0.40 per lb) to value added GOS product (curent price : $ 4 - $ 5 per lb) will be of great benefit to the diary industry."
SBIR Phase II: Rapid Detection of Bacterial Contaminants Using Micro-Fluidic Biochips,0422150,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,2,405577.00,"Biovitesse, Inc.",1608 Crow Court,,Sunnyvale,CA,94087,Yes,No,No,Laila Razouk,Dr,4087384655,laila@razouk.com,Laila Razouk,Dr,4089304044,laila.razouk@biovitesse.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a microfluidic based system for the detection of viable pathogens using dielectric concentration of bacteria as an intermediate step. This system would use a first-stage concentrator, followed by dielectrophoretic concentration, and finally by culturing in media with integrated impedance measurements to detect culture growth. The commercial application of this project will be on the detection of waterborne microorganisms in biopharmaceutical manufacturing operations. The proposed method would electronically detect the viability of microorganisms in water samples in less than 3 hours, unlike the current technology that takes 2-7 days to yield results."
Powered-Device Mounting and Positioning Technology for People with Disabilities,H133S050122,ED,ED,SBIR,2005,1,74996.00,"BLUE SKY DESIGNS, INC.",2637 27TH AVE S,SUITE 209,MINNEAPOLIS,MN,55406-,Yes,No,No,Dianne Goodwin,PD,6516030828,dianne@blueskydesigns.us,Dianne Goodwin,Dir,6516030828,dianne@blueskydesigns.us,"A powered device mounting and positioning system to enable people with severe physical impairments to reposition devices independently from a bed, wheelchair or workstation via switch, joystick, or voice input"
Accessible Mounting and Positioning Technology,2R44HD051157-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,0.00,"BLUE SKY DESIGNS, INC.",2637 27TH AVE S,SUITE 209,MINNEAPOLIS,MN,55406-,Yes,No,No,Dianne Goodwin,,6516030828,DIANNE@BLUESKYDESIGNS.US,Dianne M. Goodwin,,6516030828,DIANNE@BLUESKYDESIGNS.US,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): People using wheelchairs are more active than ever before. Their wheelchair is a mobile station, a base from which they work, play and interact. Access from their wheelchair is essential, yet people are constrained by limitations imposed by existing mounts. Accessible mounting technology increases the independence and mobility of people with disabilities, resulting in greater autonomy and improved access across environments.
With existing mounts, assistance is required to move devices to improve access or change activities. Using Accessible Mounting and Positioning Technology, people with minimal strength and dexterity can easily move and access several devices. Low effort controls lock devices in stable, user-specific positions and free it for easy repositioning. The dual arm facilitates quick and flexible positioning to optimize function. Multiple devices, such as inclined book stands and rotating trays, may be attached, increasing access and choices. It may be customized for a user's abilities and changing needs, with universal quick releases, adjustable resistance and bed or table mounts. Safety is enhanced in transfers, with devices stowing close to the chair. In Phase II, the design is refined based on Phase I results and user input. Consumers and professionals provide input through focus groups, interviews, usability testing, and extended testing in a person's own environment. Technical improvements are developed using SolidWorks software to create 3D models of components and assemblies. MotionWorks is used to ""virtually test"" assemblies, simulating kinematic and dynamic behavior. Loads calculated by MotionWorks are used in Finite Element analysis, to optimize the arm design. 3D files are used to produce CNC-machined parts, and prototypes are assembled and tested to technical specifications.
Commercial applications: The core technology is the dual arm with a low effort lock/release mechanism, wheelchair attachment hardware, and universal quick release attachments. Modular components such as trays, AAC mounts, table clamps, bed clamps, floor stands, friction-based arms, and other application specific accessories expand its utility and potential in other markets, including mounts for recliners, office chairs, work stations, labs, machine shops, lighting and photography. Relevance to public health: The aim of the proposed technology is to enhance and maximize a person's capabilities, increasing their access and independence across environments. This mobile, adaptable and accessible technology reduces barriers, making it easier for people to do more, leading more productive, fulfilling and independent lives."
Accessible Mounting and Positioning Technology,2R44HD051157-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,609526.00,"BLUE SKY DESIGNS, INC.",2637 27TH AVE S,SUITE 209,MINNEAPOLIS,MN,55406-,Yes,No,No,Dianne Goodwin,,6516030828,DIANNE@BLUESKYDESIGNS.US,Dianne M. Goodwin,,6516030828,DIANNE@BLUESKYDESIGNS.US,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): People using wheelchairs are more active than ever before. Their wheelchair is a mobile station, a base from which they work, play and interact. Access from their wheelchair is essential, yet people are constrained by limitations imposed by existing mounts. Accessible mounting technology increases the independence and mobility of people with disabilities, resulting in greater autonomy and improved access across environments.
With existing mounts, assistance is required to move devices to improve access or change activities. Using Accessible Mounting and Positioning Technology, people with minimal strength and dexterity can easily move and access several devices. Low effort controls lock devices in stable, user-specific positions and free it for easy repositioning. The dual arm facilitates quick and flexible positioning to optimize function. Multiple devices, such as inclined book stands and rotating trays, may be attached, increasing access and choices. It may be customized for a user's abilities and changing needs, with universal quick releases, adjustable resistance and bed or table mounts. Safety is enhanced in transfers, with devices stowing close to the chair. In Phase II, the design is refined based on Phase I results and user input. Consumers and professionals provide input through focus groups, interviews, usability testing, and extended testing in a person's own environment. Technical improvements are developed using SolidWorks software to create 3D models of components and assemblies. MotionWorks is used to ""virtually test"" assemblies, simulating kinematic and dynamic behavior. Loads calculated by MotionWorks are used in Finite Element analysis, to optimize the arm design. 3D files are used to produce CNC-machined parts, and prototypes are assembled and tested to technical specifications.
Commercial applications: The core technology is the dual arm with a low effort lock/release mechanism, wheelchair attachment hardware, and universal quick release attachments. Modular components such as trays, AAC mounts, table clamps, bed clamps, floor stands, friction-based arms, and other application specific accessories expand its utility and potential in other markets, including mounts for recliners, office chairs, work stations, labs, machine shops, lighting and photography. Relevance to public health: The aim of the proposed technology is to enhance and maximize a person's capabilities, increasing their access and independence across environments. This mobile, adaptable and accessible technology reduces barriers, making it easier for people to do more, leading more productive, fulfilling and independent lives."
All Aboard: Development of Portable Watercraft Transfer Technology to Increase Access to Boating for People with Disabilities,2005-33610-15480,USDA,USDA,SBIR,2005,1,79980.00,"BLUE SKY DESIGNS, INC.",2637 27TH AVE S,SUITE 209,MINNEAPOLIS,MN,55406-,Yes,No,No,Dianne M. Goodwin,President/Director of R&D,6516030828,dianne@blueskydesigns.us,Dianne M. Goodwin,President/Director of R&D,6516030828,dianne@blueskydesigns.us,"Portable, accessible and affordable watercraft transfer technology will be developed so individuals with mobility impairments can more safely and easily go boating and fishing. Without transfer technology, it takes a minimum of two people to transfer someone into a boat, at considerable risk to both the person being transferred and the people lifting them. The transfer mechanism's universal design will not only improve access to boating for people with disabilities, but also for aging boaters and those with lifting restrictions. It will also make it easier to place children or heavy objects such as gas tanks, motors or coolers onto boats. A portable device will provide people with increased choices and flexibility as to where they boat. People with disabilities and their families will benefit from equipment making it easier boat, and the rural economy will benefit from increased boating revenue. The technology may be used by recreation programs to increase their accessibilty and may also be used in employment situations. The primary commercial application is a portable watercraft transfer mechanism. Variations may include a shore-based transfer mechanism and permanent mounting options for docks or boats. There may be other applications such as transferring onto rides at an amusement park or into larger vehicles."
A Novel Osteoinductive Molecule in Bone Regeneration,1R43DE016781-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,93458.00,"Bone Biologics, Inc.","Bone Biologics, Inc.",115 North Doheny Drive,Beverly Hills,CA,90211,Yes,No,No,Chia Soo,,3107139978,BONBIOLOGICS@EARTHLINK.NET,Chia Soo,,3107139978,STBIOTECH@EARTHLINK.NET,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Because bony defects have limited regenerative capability, the importance of bone grafting during reconstructive surgery for craniomaxilofacial trauma and congenital craniofacial anomalies is widely recognized. To avoid the morbidity associated with autologous bone graft harvest, application of osteoinductive molecules such as the bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) has been intensively studied.
We have identified a novel osteoinductive molecule that is directly regulated by core-binding factor a1, a critical mediator of osteoblast formation and function. Molecule overexpression in vitro significantly increased osteoblast differentiation and mineralization, while overexpression in vivo significantly increased premature bone formation in the calvarial sutures of transgenic animals. Pilot studies comparing the novel molecule to an equivalent dose of BMP2 demonstrated comparable levels of bone regeneration in a rat calvarial defect model. Interestingly, our in vitro data also suggest an additive or synergistic effect between the novel molecule and BMP2 on induction of alkaline phosphatase activity.
To determine if this molecule can feasibly replacement or complement existing osteoinductive molecules such as BMPs, we propose this Phase I study to: 1) confirm molecule efficacy in bone regeneration; 2) determine optimal dosages for bone regeneration using the molecule, BMP2, or BMP7 in a rat calvarial critical size defect model; 3) compare optimized dosages in the calvarial defect model; and 4) evaluate the efficacy of a commercial osteoconductive carrier combined with our molecule in bone regeneration.
Phase I completion will allow analyses of the molecule's osteoinductive capacity against a BMP benchmark within a specific ceramic carrier. Phase II studies will focus on further molecule development in two distinct areas of BMP replacement therapy and BMP adjunct therapy and provide the foundation for eventual product commercialization. Our long term goal is to develop an effective autograft bone substitute."
Feasibility of Manufacturing a Wool-Based Soil Erosion Control Mat,2005-33610-15532,USDA,USDA,SBIR,2005,1,79886.00,Butternut Ventures,P.O. Box 34,,Taftsville,VT,05073,Yes,No,No,Ellen Terie,,8024573087,etathome@sover.net,Ellen Terie,,8024573087,etathome@sover.net,"Worldwide surpluses of wool have depressed the price of wool and nearly eliminated the wool market, especially for the small medium sheep meat producer. These producers have large quantities of surplus wool, an unwanted by-product, which creates a waste disposal problem. The purpose of this project is to create a new value-added product with commercial potential using raw wool, a renewable resource, in the production of a soil erosion control mat. Production of such a product will offer an ecomonic, sustainable, environmentally superior performing altrnative for use by the homeowner, farmer, contractor, transportation agency and public utility."
Ballistic Impact Dynamic Modeling of Fabric for New Protection Systems,W15QKN-06-C-0039,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,68793.00,CAE SOLUTIONS CORP.,40935 Camero Place,,Fremont,CA,94539,Yes,No,No,Angie Stillman,President,5102266021,angie.stillman@covad.net,Douglas Stillman,Vice President,5106811176,dstillma@covad.net,"Fabric based protection systems are critical to many kinds of safety systems. A challenge as designs are attempted is that details of failure are not well understood and are difficult to model. For projectiles, failure is dependent on many parameters ranging from the size and shape of the impact point to the velocity of impact, and the conditions of the fabric in terms of weave, support, pre-tensioning and environment. For the designer trying to reliably handle a threat, this uncertainty cannot be resolved without significant testing. We will use a multi-scale approach to develop techniques to improve the fidelity of ballistics models for fabrics. Adaptive modeling techniques permit the resolution of necessary detail in failure regions so that reliable predictions can be. Designers have a variety of fabrics to choose from, including yarn impregnation techniques such as a shear thickening fluid. This research effort emphasizes effects of weaves as well as attempts to characterize in more detail how the shear thickening fluid effects the individual yarns and relates to ballistic performance. The end result will be a tool that designers can use to make decisions in the early stages of design using fabrics for safety systems."
Health and Environmental Simulation,FA9302-05-M-1017,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99742.00,"CAMBRIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL, INC.",58 Charles Street,,Cambridge,MA,02141,Yes,No,No,Richard Lester,Director of Operations,6172250810,lester@cambridgeenvironmental.com,Stephen Zemba,Senior Engineer,6172250810,zemba@cambridgeenvironmental.com,"Air Force personnel maintaining or servicing aircraft can be exposed to hazardous concentrations of air contaminants, even if removed some distance from the emission-generating activities. Traditional industrial hygiene measurements can be costly or impractical, and common air pollutant dispersion models are not designed to estimate contaminant concentrations close to their point of origin. Improved simulation tools would benefit the industrial hygiene field. Seizing this opportunity, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a sophisticated modeling tool now capable of simulating environmental flows, will be applied to predict contaminant concentrations within the vicinity of a release (including distances as close as 2-25 feet that cannot be considered by existing models). Case studies will be developed and validated in conjunction with contaminant measurements collected by the Air Force in the vicinity of aircraft maintenance activities. Phase I research will primarily focus on predicting contaminant dispersion. Conceptual approaches will also be developed to conduct exposure and risk assessment to support decision analysis. Phase II research will implement the methods and frameworks developed in Phase I within user-friendly health and environmental simulation software for use by the Air Force and others tasked with evaluating, assessing, and mitigating chemical exposure in the workplace."
STTR Phase I: Particle Sorting via Aerodynamic Vectoring,0512525,NSF,NSF,STTR,2005,1,99980.00,CASTLEROCK ENGINEERING,1252 CEDAR HEIGHTS,,LOGAN,UT,84341 3067,Yes,No,Yes,Angela L. Minichiello,,4357534370,angela.minichiello@sdl.usu.edu,Angela L. Minichiello,Ms.,4357576294,aminichiello@castlerockengineering.com,"This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project presents a new, non-contact method for sorting particles by size. The primary objective of Phase I activities is to evaluate the technical and commercial feasibility of a particle sorter based upon Aerodynamic Vectoring. This objective will be accomplished in an air jet facility through high-speed imaging and optical particle tracking, to determine the operational limits of such a device and achievable particle sorting accuracy. It is anticipated that an optimal arrangement of flow parameters can be determined so as to substantiate sorting accuracy across a wide range of particle sizes and flow rates, thus, validating feasibility of this device. A particle sorter based upon Aerodynamic Vectoring has the potential for considerable commercial value. Its range of applications, which include powder material processing, sample concentration, cell sorting, and air quality monitoring, is broad."
SBIR Phase I: Removal of Toxic Microcystins in Water Using Graphite Nanofibers,0441090,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,1,99876.00,CML,1750 Washington Street,,Holliston,MA,01746,Yes,Yes,No,Nelly M. Rodriguez,Ms,5088939562,rodriguez@catalyticmaterials.com,Xuejun Xu,Dr,5088939564,xu@catalytic-materials.net,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project deals with the use of graphite nanofibers (GNF) as novel adsorption media for the removal of bio-toxins from water. Specifically, the research will focus on the removal of microcystin-LR, a potential biological weapon that could be used by terrorists to attack human beings. Various methods have been proposed for the removal of microcystins from aqueous media, including adsorption by activated carbon, chlorination, ozonation, permanganate, hydrogen peroxide, photolysis, and semiconductor photo-catalysis. Of these approaches, the activated carbon treatment appears to be one of the most effective procedures. Various microcystins can be adsorbed on the porous surface of activated carbon and the efficiency of removal depends upon the pore size and surface functionality. It is claimed that the dominant factor in the adsorption process is the volume of mesopores (2-50 nm diameter) rather than the volume of micropores (diameter < 2 nm) or megapores (diameter > 50nm). In addition, the removal efficiency gradually decreases over a period of time due to the accumulation of a bio-film on the activated carbon surface. The regeneration of the spent activated carbon is not a simple task and as consequently the contaminated material is frequently discarded. Improper disposal procedures of used activated carbons could give rise to serious problems because microcystins are known to persist for many years when stored in dry conditions at room temperature and to withstand many hours of boiling in water. Since GNF contain an abundance of edge sites, the surface functionality can easily be transformed to give either hydrophobic to hydrophilic properties. In addition, it has recently been discovered that following suitable thermal treatments it is possible to generate GNF structures that possess a large fraction of mesopores having average dimensions of 12 nm. This unusual blend of properties makes GNF ideal candidates for the adsorption of microcystins from water. Furthermore, the high degree of crystalline perfection exhibited by GNF enables one to heat the materials in the presence of oxidizing gases to temperatures in excess of 500 C, thereby allowing for the removal of trapped microcystins and the regeneration of the adsorbate."
SBIR Phase I: Water Remediation Technology for Removal of Chemical and Biological Contaminants,0441904,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,1,99500.00,CCT,570 Kenwood Drive,,Menlo Park,CA,94025,Yes,No,No,Lisa M. Farmen,Ms,5032369364,Farmen@yahoo.com,Lisa M. Farmen,Ms,5035442330,farmen@yahoo.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to develop an inexpensive, passive water purification system that will remove chemical and biological contaminants from water for home and personal use. Worldwide there is grave concern with the potential for terrorist acts to pollute municipal water systems. The uncertain nature of terrorist action makes defensive measures equally uncertain. A low cost water purification system which is effective against most biological pathogens and organic contaminates provides an additional resource to our homeland defenses. The passive nature of the proposed treatment module makes it independent of other factors such as power requirements or water pressure. The initial product, in its smallest embodiment, is designed to be portable so that a person or family can take it wherever circumstances may dictate. The most promising single water purification technology, which meets all of the constraints, is one based on surface modified zeolite adsorption. A key issue is the scalability of any technology; with the completion of this development project, a demonstration not only of the initial product for homeland defense but a product path to a complete self-powered home water treatment system will be made. It is widely accepted that inevitably water is becoming the world's most precious commodity. Innumerable deaths and diseases are constantly linked to polluted water, not to mention the lack of water in certain locales. From the executive summary of the World Water Assessment Program sponsored by the United Nations under UNESCO: ""In 2000, the estimated mortality rate due to water sanitation hygiene-associated diseases, was 2,213,000."" That calculates to one person every 15 seconds. In China, over one billion people lack acceptable water resources. News reports chronicle the fact that thousands if not millions of people spend a significant portion of their day seeking potable water. Recent geopolitical events as well as local budgetary constraints are doing nothing to improve the situation. A low cost water purification system, which has broad applicability in third world regions, would be a major step in improving the health and well being of millions of people."
Electrolytic Process to Produce Sodium Hypochlorite Using NaSICON Ceramic Membranes,DE-FG02-05ER84221,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,99860.00,"Technology Holding, LLC",800 North 350 West,#250,Salt Lake City,UT,84103-1441,Yes,No,No,Raymond K. Miller,Mr.,8019782114,rkm@ceramatec.com,Shekar Balagopal,Mr.,8019782142,skekar@ceramatec.com,"79513S Sodium hypochlorite is an industrial chemical that is produced with technologies that rely on organic membranes and undivided cell methods, which have performance limitations from fouling and limited selecivity. This project will develop an innovative and energy efficient, low temperature, cost-effective, and environmental friendly electrochemical process that uses a sodium-ion-conducting membrane to continually produce sodium hypochlorite from sea water and low purity, unsoftened water and sodium chloride. The new membranes will exhibit high selectivity towards sodium ions over hydronium and alkali ions, providing greater than 90% sodium transport efficiency, with better ion transfer selectivity and better resistance to fouling. Phase I will (1) demonstrate the electrochemical performance and chemical stability of the ceraminc membranes to produce higher concentration of sodium hypochlorite on a laboratory scale; (2) synthesize several candidate membranes compositions and evaluate them for chemical stability in sea water, sodium chlorite, and sodium hypochlorite; (3) evaluate the ability of prototype cells with the ceramic membranes to produce sodium hypochlorite as a function of process conditions (i.e. voltage, current density, temperature, effluent flow rate, and corrosion resistance); and (4) determine process economics and balance of plant cost estimates. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The membrane technology should permit the scale-up of a process that uses seawater and a salt solution prepared from un-softened water to make a high concentration of sodium hypochlorite, without causing the calcium and magnesium present in these waters to precipitate out in as hydroxides (an unpreventable outcome when making hypochlorite with existing technology). The advantages of this technology would include (1) no forced shut down of the operation for cleaning, saving time and money; (2) no short-circuiting of electrodes due to precipitates accumulating between them, enhancing safety; and (3) no waste generation, the unwelcome consequence of cleaning scale from the equipment with hydrochloric acid."
High Volume Utilization of Fly Ash Containing Mercury-Impregnated Activated Carbon,DE-FG02-05ER84197,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,99972.00,"Technology Holding, LLC",800 North 350 West,#250,Salt Lake City,UT,84103-1441,Yes,No,No,Raymond K. Miller,Mr.,8019782114,rkm@ceramatec.com,Qiang Zhao,Dr.,8019782152,QZhao@ceramatec.com,"79234S In January of 2004, the EPA published draft regulations for the control of mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants, and one of the most promising technologies for controlling mercury involves the treament of flue gas with activated carbon. As a consequence, the fly ash collected from power plants contains high concentrations of mercury-impregnated activated carbon, which would make the fly ash unusable for concrete manufacturing. This would result in reduced revenues and increased disposal costs, creating a significant economic burden for electric utilities. It also would produce another environmental problem for society, because approximately 68 million tons of fly ash is produced annually in the United States. This project will develop chemically-bonded materials, which incorporate fly ash that contains mercury-impregnated carbon, for concrete applications. These chemically-bonded materials will encapsulate the mercury, allowing the material to be used as an additive or binder in concrete manufacturing. In addition, the material will prevent the leaching of mercury into the environment. In Phase I, several compositions will be prepared from fly ash with and without mercury-impregnated carbon. The encapsulation of mercury by the chemically-bonded material under different leaching conditions will be carefully examined. The feasibility of using this material in concrete will be established by characterizing key parameters using compression tests, foam index tests, and other standard industrial criteria. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: The fabrication of chemically-bonded concrete material, which uses fly ash containing mercury-impregnated activated carbon, should result in a useful and marketable product. This technology will solve an economic problem for coal-fired power plants after they implement the mercury emission control regulations. Environmental benefits include reductions in mercury emissions, in the number of landfills needed for the disposal of fly ash, and in carbon dioxide emissions through the replacement of Portland cements in concrete manufacturing."
Robust Microsenors for Automobile Exhaust Monitoring and Control,DE-FG02-05ER86239,DOE,DOE,STTR,2005,1,99963.00,"Technology Holding, LLC",800 North 350 West,#250,Salt Lake City,UT,84103-1441,Yes,No,No,Raymond K. Miller,Mr.,8019782114,rkm@ceramatec.com,Balakirshnan G. Nair,Dr.,8019561000,bnair@ceramatec.com,"79252 As environmental regulations become increasingly stringent, there is mounting pressure on automobile manufacturers to substantially lower unburnt hydrocarbon emissions. This will require monitoring the hydrocarbon content in the exhaust with more accuracy than currently possible using the two oxygen sensor system. This requirement is especially important during start-up conditions, which account for more than 90% of hydrocarbon emissions. This project will develop a robust, miniature hydrocarbon sensor that can detect hydrocarbons in automobile exhaust, with excellent sensitivity to hydrocarbons, minimal cross-sensitivity to exhaust gas constituents (e.g. CO, CO2, NOx, SO2), and fast response time (< 1 sec). In Phase I, a number of key experiments, including a demonstration of minimal cross-sensitivity to specific exhaust gas constituents, will be carried out to demonstrate feasibility. Phase II will focus on sensor miniaturization/integration, prototype development, on-board testing, and demonstration. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The new hydrocarbon sensors should be small and inexpensive enough to be installed for on-board monitoring and emissions control applications in automobiles, providing significant benefit to the environment and quality of life. The technology also should allow manufacturers to reduce catalyst loadings and life-cycle engine degradation."
"Composite, High-Temperature Seals for Gas Separation Membrane Devices",DE-FG02-04ER83919,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,2,749856.00,"Technology Holding, LLC",800 North 350 West,#250,Salt Lake City,UT,84103-1441,Yes,No,No,Raymond K. Miller,Mr.,8019782114,rkm@veramatec.com,S. Elango Elangovan,Dr.,8019782162,elango@veramatec.com,"76066S Ceramic membranes with ion-specific conducting properties can provide gases with purity unmatched by other gas separation methods. However, in order to realize the full potential of these membrane devices, high temperature seal materials are required to isolate the ultrahigh purity product gas from the inlet gas mixture. This project will develop a composite seal material that combines the thermal and physical characteristics of a rigid crystalline phase with the wetting and process compatibility of a vitreous phase. In Phase I, the composite seal was used to demonstrate a leak-tight joint between metal and ceramic couples. Thermal cycle capability was also demonstrated. In Phase II, additional compositions will be evaluated to obtain seal materials with a range of physical and thermal properties. The sealing efficiency will be demonstrated in a short stack assembly of prototype membrane devices. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The new seal material should be applicable to various types of high temperature membrane devices for use in ultrahigh purity oxygen and hydrogen separations, steam electrolyzers, chemical synthesis reactors, and solid oxide fuel cells."
Ultra-pure Hydrogen Generation from Logistic Fuels,N65538-05-M-0145,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,69765.00,"Technology Holding, LLC",800 North 350 West,#250,Salt Lake City,UT,84103-1441,Yes,No,No,Raymond Miller,Secretary,8019782114,rkm@ceramatec.com,S. Elangovan,SOFC Project Manager,8019782162,elango@ceramatec.com,"While fuel cell technology is attractive to meet the electric power requirements of the Navy, the Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cells require high putiy hydrogen fuel. The high sulfur content of the Navy distillate NATO F-76 makes the reformate clean up system in a fuel processor too complex for the compact and light-weight systems that are required. Hydrogen separation membrane that is contaminant tolerant is proposed. The use of such membrane that is stable in the reformate composition will simplify or even eliminate the reformate clean up subsystem. An additional aspect of this project will be to evaluate a compact fuel processor to reform F-76. The fuel processor is more efficient and reduces the common technical challenges such as low efficiency operation and soot formation encountered in reforming diesel fuel using conventional partial oxidation reformers. The operational characteristics of the two systems, reformer and the hydrogen separation membrane, allow for both process and physical integration making the overall conversion process of navy distillate into high purity hydrogen efficient and economical."
Sodium-Air Batteries Based on Sodium Super-Ionic Conducting Electrolyte,W911QX-05-C-0086,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,118964.00,"Technology Holding, LLC",800 North 350 West,#250,Salt Lake City,UT,84103-1441,Yes,No,No,Raymond K. Miller,CFO/Secretary,8019782114,rkm@ceramatec.com,John Gordon,Principal Investigator,8019782138,johng@ceramatec.com,"High energy density battery will be developed by combining metallic sodium anode with an air cathode. The proposed sodium-air battery is expected to dominate the performance of lithium-air battery. This battery technology is based on sodium conducting solid-electrolyte developed at Ceramatec Inc. The sodium conducting solid-electrolyte has conductivity in the range of 10-2 S/cm at ambient temperature and is expected to be chemically stable when in contact with sodium metal. The proposed electrolyte can be fabricated into a thin structure, which will significantly enhance the gravimetric and volumetric energy and power density characteristics of sodium-air batteries. The proposed batteries can potentially deliver energy densities exceeding 500 Wh/kg and cell voltages of 2.5 - 3.0 V with potentially high rate capability, charge retention, and shelf life characteristics required for military applications"
Advanced CFD Software for Improving Durability of Turbine Inlet Guide Vanes,N68335-05-C-0118,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,749986.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,David L. Black,Group Leader,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"In high F/A military gas turbine combustors such as JSF, localized pockets of carbon monoxide and hydrogen can exit the combustor, causing severe cooling challenges for designers of turbine inlet guide vanes. Instead of cooling the vane, cooling air can interact with the hotpath flow to release heat near the vane surface, resulting in durability challenges and possibly catastrophic damage. In this SBIR, we propose to develop 3D CFD software that accurately predicts the effects of heat release and heat transfer into the vane. The software will utilize combustion Large Eddy Simulation (LES) methods. Key aspects to be modeled include: 1) mixing of cooling air into the hot gas flow, 2) heat release occurring near the vane surface, and 3) near wall velocity/thermal boundary layer and heat transfer to the vane. In Phase I, the overall feasibility of this approach was demonstrated and needed improvements in thermal boundary layer models for LES were identified. In Phase II, the TBLE (Turbulent Boundary Layer Equation) model implemented in Phase I for velocity boundary layers will be expanded, and a new thermal boundary layer model will be development and implemented. Detailed validation of all capabilities will take place using fundamental laboratory data, followed by more complex validation in realistic environments. Analyses of JSF vanes will then be performed in cooperation with Rolls-Royce, and potential design improvements will be assessed."
Development of a Unified Stochastic-Hydrodynamic Simulation EnviRonment (USHER) for Biological Agent Neutralization and Defeat,FA8651-05-C-0104,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,749953.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,Jerry W. Jenkins,Senior Engineer,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"The overall objective of this effort is to design, develop and demonstrate an integrated ""Virtual Numerical Laboratory"" for evaluation of biological agent defeat strategies. The simulation framework will integrate a novel, stochastic description of agent-neutralizer interactions/distribution with an incompressible CFD code with advanced turbulence, moving body and free surface models. In Phase I, a novel Master-Equation based stochastic formalism of agent-neutralizer interactions was developed and integrated, in a consistent manner, with (a) Surface Marker Point approach for moving body calculations, (b) Large Eddy Simulation (LES) and Reynolds Averaged Navi┐r-Stokes (RANS) methods for turbulence computations, and (c) Volume-of-Fluid (VOF) for free surface modeling. The model framework was verified and validated and proof-of-concept/value clearly demonstrated. During Phase II, we will further develop the stochastic models to include a wide range of agent-neutralizer combinations, along with approaches for modeling uncertainty in the initial distribution of bioagent within the target. Neutralization model fidelity will be maximized by inferring information from semi-classical pathogen population experiments and quantitative models of cellular physiological processes. Hydrodynamic models will be further enhanced by coupling advanced turbulence and free-surface models with the Surface Marker approach. Extensive model/software testing and demonstration will be performed. Modular software, along with an easy-to-use interface and detailed documentation will be developed and transferred to the Air Force at the end of the project."
Multiscale Model of Lung Injury and Personnel Protection from Blast Overpressures in Confined Areas,W31P4Q-05-C-0169,DOD,DARPA,SBIR,2005,2,749808.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Andrzej J. Przekwas,Sr. Vice President/CTO,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Explosive devices are the preferred weapon in the majority of terrorist attacks and cause of major injuries to soldiers and civilians. Military medics and future first responders must be educated in the unique blast injury pathophysiology to make decisions in diagnosis, resuscitation, and treatment planning. The objective of this project is to develop high fidelity, multiscale, physiology-based modeling tools of blast injuries to the brain and lung. The software tools will simulate the explosion blast loads on the human body, human body biodynamics, and biomechanics of vulnerable organs including head/brain and thorax/lungs as well as pathophysiology of injury. The multiscale modeling concept developed in this study will integrate the injury responses at the cellular, organ, and whole body level. For the blast brain injury we will model the biomechanics of brain tissue-skull interaction, vascular hemorrhage and hematoma formation, diffuse axonal injury as well as brain and systemic metabolic responses such as hypoxia and ischemia. The model will be validated against experimental animal and surrogate data of blast wave and focal impact injury. The integrated model will be demonstrated by modeling brain and lung injury in various explosion scenarios and by analysis of resuscitation and treatment planning procedures. A virtual assessment modeling framework for personal protection armor including novel helmets and chest vests will be demonstrated."
Laser Ignition of Hydrocarbon Rocket Engine Combustion Chambers,FA9300-05-C-0012,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,746558.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Matthew E. Thomas,Director/Propulsion and P,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Phase I research successfully: 1) demonstrated a prototype fiber-optic coupled laser initiator, 2) analytically and experimentally characterized a single element GOx/CH4 laser ignition process and 3) assessed commercial grade optics/windows, including structural/thermal evaluation of an in-chamber window installation assembly. Phase II will focus on replacing existing squib ignition technology culminate in the launch and recovery of a commercial rocket equipped with a prototype land ser based ignition systems. Specific Phase II development will include: 1. Demonstration of a field configured fiber optic coupled laser initiator capable of immediate implementation into numerous launch vehicle operations. 2. Integration of the initiator and optical transmission devices into an operational bipropellant rocket combustion chamber. 3. Field test and evaluation of laser based ignition through the launch of a Prospector rocket. 4. Assessment of the laser apparatus in a diagnostics mode. CFDRC has teamed with Los Alamos National Laboratory and Garvey Spacecraft to assure all of the technical elements necessary to launch a cryogenic LOx/hydrocarbon fueled rocket are in place at project outset. This Phase II project will effectively increase laser ignition of rocket engines from a current TRL level of 3 to a level of 8. When successful, CFDRC has secured commitments from all liquid rocket propulsion engine and launch vehicle manufacturers to immediately begin implementing this technology into existing and future rocket launch environments."
High Order Wavelet-Based Multiresolution Technology for Airframe Noise Prediction,NNL05AA03C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,2,599923.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264841,jls@cfdrc.com,Essam F. Sheta,Principal Investigator,2567264869,efs@cfdrc.com,"We propose to develop a novel, high-accuracy, high-fidelity, multiresolution (MRES), wavelet-based framework for efficient prediction of airframe noise sources and acoustic propagation. In Phase I, 2D and 3D models of MRES methodology were developed. An acoustic analogy module based on Ffowcs Williams and Hawking technique was developed to accurately propagate the near-field acoustic signals to far field with minimal dissipation and dispersion. An innovative Runge-Kutta temporal update was developed to advance all grid levels independently. The feasibility and accuracy of the MRES technology was demonstrated by predicting noise sources and acoustic waves generated by vortex shedding. The Phase I results indicate that the proposed technology will provide up to two orders-of-magnitude reductions in CPU time over existing techniques.In Phase II, we propose to improve the 3D MRES software to handle multi-block, curvilinear, viscous and massively parallel applications. An efficient data structure will be developed and implemented to store and update the multiresolution data to improve the cost-saving factor. Unsteady turbulence models based on DES and PANS will be implemented to better resolve the sources of noise. The acoustic module will be improved to account for surface motions and quadrupole source terms. The developed modules will then be coupled to a large-scale CFD code to expand the application base of the technology. The technology will be demonstrated and validated us"
CFD Fuel Injector Design Tool Featuring Unsteady Atomization and Turbulent-Combustion Models,FA9101-05-C-0033,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,649905.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,David L. Black,Manager,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Fuel injectors play a vital role in the performance of high performance gas turbine combustion systems. However, current combustion CFD codes cannot accurately predict spray/atomization and turbulent-combustion processes. In this SBIR project, CFD Research Corporation (CFDRC) proposes to develop and validate a CFD fuel injector design tool that will accurately predict spray-combustion in gas turbines. The capability to run steady/unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) and practical Large Eddy Simulation (LES) computations will be included within the code and transferred to the Air Force. A key focus will be obtaining benchmark datasets for code validation. In Phase I, work focused on spray/atomization modeling with emphasis on modeling liquid jets-in-crossflow. Advanced features were implemented, starting from existing capabilities, to model atomization in transient sprays. Experimental data of pulsed fuel injection were collected and compared to code predictions. Good overall agreement was shown. In Phase II, the focus of the program will be to further validate the code for steady and pulsed jets-in-crossflow. In particular, data will be collected on fuel jets injected into a crossflow in a realistic augmentor configuration under both reacting and nonreacting flow conditions. Validation data will be collected using vitiated and nonvitiated air over a range of Mach numbers and jet-to-air momentum ratios. A parallel version of the software installed on 16 PCs will be delivered to the Air Force, and extensive training and support will be provided to facilitate adoption of the analytical tool by the Air Force."
Bio-CAD Tools for DNA Computing,FA8750-05-C-0055,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,749919.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Zbigniew Sikorski,Project Engineer,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"The project objective is to develop an integrated software environment for hierarchical prototyping/analysis of hardware for DNA computers and DNA self-assembly. Emerging interdisciplinary field of biomolecular computing explores new paradigms to perform calculations and to design computing architectures at the molecular level. The use of biomaterials in the fabrication and operation of high performance, intelligent systems will present opportunities to make dramatic improvement in system autonomy, radiation hardness and extreme low power operations. Simulation/design tools are required for development of the molecular computing algorithms and its biophysical bio/nanotechnology implementation. Phase I research has resulted in a preliminary version of a prototyping/research software environment for DNA computer. We have developed (1) a state-of-the-art DNA code synthesis method that captures key aspects of the nearest neighbor thermodynamic model; (2) built multiphysics models and software for a device-level simulation of microfluidic-based DNA computer; and (3) demonstrated feasibility of these tools for system-level and large-scale simulations of DNA computer. Phase II research will focus on generalization the proposed methodologies with emphasis on development of the mature computational tools that will address the complete chain of the DNA computer design issues: synthesis of the DNA code; device-level multiphysics/biochemistry high-fidelity modeling; and system-level simulations of DNA computer based on an electric-equivalent-circuit reduced-order model. We will demonstrate the tools on the information technology problems of interest to the AF and validate them with laboratory experiments."
"A Novel Electrokinetics-Driven, Integrated Microfluidic Cartridge for Sample Preparation from Complex Matrices",NBCHC050114,DHS,DHS,SBIR,2005,1,99931.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Jennifer Swann,,2567264858,jls@cfdrc.com,Kapil Pant,,2567264871,jls@cfdrc.com,"Sample preparation has been recognized as the single most important challenge to be faced in the development of detect-to-warn (DTW) systems (NRC, 2005). Available commercial sample preparation technologies are expensive, slow (30 min to 2 hours) and require trained laboratory technicians for operation. Addressing this need, we propose to design, fabricate, and demonstrate a novel integrated microfluidic cartridge exploiting advanced electrokinetics for preparation of complex liquid samples for genomic analysis. Building on CFDRC┐s expertise and proprietary platform in Phase I, we will demonstrate separation of bacterial cells from a Contaminant-laden solution, followed by reagent-less lysis to extract the genomic content. Device designs will be guided by proven high-fidelity simulation methods developed by CFDRC. The microfabricated components will be tested and demonstrated in our well-equipped microfluidics laboratory. In Phase II, an integrated microfluidics sample preparation cartridge will be developed for ready interfacing with existing/next-generation detection technologies. The integrated cartridge will consist of separation, lysis, purification, pre-concentration and COTS components. Phase II prototype will be extensively demonstrated and characterized for samples containing various genomic targets in the presence of common atmospheric background (dust, pollen, etc.)."
"A Novel, Bio-inspired Advanced Microfluidic Power System (BioAMPS)",W15P7T-05-C-T201,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119914.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,S. Krishnamoorthy,Manager,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Our objective is to develop (model, design, fabricate and test) a novel, Bio-inspired Advanced Microfluidic Power System (BioAMPS) to extract energy from biofuels. Unlike conventional technologies, BioAMPS will be compact/lightweight, require little or no logistical support (re-supply), reusable and eco-friendly. Phase I will deliver a biobattery system Product Design Requirement (PDR) document and demonstrate a system platform capable of delivering several mW-hr/cc of power. This is accomplished via several innovations: (a) MEMS/microfluidics-based architecture; (b) proprietary anode-cathode system that can reduce overall system weight significantly; (c) specially engineered electrodes for maximum electron transfer; and (d) simulation-based design of layout/geometries and protocols for maximizing performance. An ongoing research DoD funded effort focused on fundamental technology development of the power element will be leveraged in this study. The Phase I option will focus on system engineering and design optimization of individual components and operational protocols. The Phase II goal is an optimized lightweight biobattery system (with integrated power element, fuel supply, waste unit) that delivers 250 mW-hr/cc of sustained electricity for low power applications in the Objective Force Warrior (OFW) suite. Motorola and other organizations have expressed a strong interest in similar technology for commercial applications. A multidisciplinary team with proven expertise in biomicrosystems engineering, bioelectrochemistry and microfabrication has been assembled."
Wavelet-Based Vorticity Transport Technology for Rotorcraft Flowfield Analysis,W911W6-06-C-0036,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69970.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Essam Sheta,Principal Engineer,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"A hybrid Eulerian vorticity transport/Navier-Stokes methodology is proposed for the accurate prediction of unsteady rotorcraft vortical flow features with particular attention to the efficient transport of rotor wake vorticity to the farfield with minimal dissipation. High-fidelity Navier-Stokes modeling will be used for the capturing of near-body flow features, while a novel, first principles, wavelet-based multiresolution Eulerian vorticity transport model will be developed for use in the near-field, vortex-dominated region and for convecting the shed vorticity into and through the far-field region. These two flow regions will be interfaced in a unique fashion in order to capture propagation of the vorticity, entropy and acoustic waves without unphysical reflections. Wavelet technology is expected to provide an order of magnitude reduction in grid and CPU requirements. In Phase I, the wavelet-based multiresolution Eulerian vorticity transport model will be developed as a stand-alone module, while an efficient interface will be developed between the vorticity transport model and Navier-Stokes code. The feasibility of the proposed technology will be demonstrated by the prediction of three-dimensional vortex shedding relevant to Blade Vortex Interaction (BVI). In Phase II, the vorticity transport and hybrid interface modules will be generalized and integrated into modern and well-used high-fidelity rotor CFD codes and verified and validated on a range of rotorcraft datasets."
"A Novel, Bio-inspired Advanced Microfluidic Power System (BioAMPS)",W15P7T-06-C-T203,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,2,729967.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok Singhal,President,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,S. Krishnamoorthy,"Manager, Biomedical Techn",2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Our overall objective is to develop (design, fabricate, demonstrate) a Bio-inspired Advanced Microfluidic Power System (BioAMPS) to extract energy from biofuels. We successfully met all Phase I goals and demonstrated a novel, proprietary enzymatic cathode and a microbial anode. We enhanced electron transfer efficiencies via specially engineered electrodes and achieved an order of magnitude increase in power density, with a size reduction of two orders of magnitude. Detailed theoretical analysis and prototype characterization identified critical, performance-limiting issues and accomplished a preliminary design for an integrated prototype. Building on this success, the Phase II effort will focus on further optimization of the anode/cathode half-cells and design and development of an integrated lightweight biobattery system prototype. The effect of critical parameters, such as electrode configuration, mediator, fuel on power output, and storage/operational considerations will be thoroughly investigated, with emphasis on the design and integration of ancillary units (air/water management system, fuel supply, electrical components) critical for stand-alone operation. Demonstration of sustained power for low-power applications in the Objective Force Warrior (OFW) suite is planned. Several organizations (e.g. Motorola) have expressed strong interest in licensing and commercializing this technology for microelectronics applications. We have assembled a multidisciplinary (industry, academic, and advisory personnel from the Army) team with proven expertise in biomicrosystems engineering, bioelectrochemistry, microfabrication, and army end-use and commercial needs."
Multiresolution Thermal Design/Signature Management Tool for Vehicle Electronics Packages,W56HZV-05-C-0124,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69924.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Mahesh Athavale,"Manager, Microsystems/Turbomachiner",2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"The overall objective of this project is to develop a multiresolution, hierarchical flow-thermal software design tool for thermal management and designs of vehicle electronics packages, and interface it with TACOMs analysis code, MuSES. The coupled codes will provide a powerful tool for thermal signature analysis of the packages and other electrical and mechanical components for next generation vehicles with conventional or hybrid thermal-electric power systems. The analysis tool will have capability of fully-resolved CFD flow-thermal simulations of complex electronics packages. Innovative use of artificial neural nets will allow reduced-order modeling of various electronics components and subsystems for rapid and accurate system-level analyses. Phase I work will involve adaptation of an existing simulation environment and a GUI for electronic box applications. A set of interfaces with MuSES will be developed using the User-routine capabilities in MuSES. The coupled system will be demonstrated on a specific vehicle problem for thermal-flow as well as thermal signature analysis of the electronics components. The Phase II project will focus on development of a comprehensive, multiresolution GUI, an extensive parts library for electronics components and subsystems; and automated, script-driven procedures for development of ANN-based and other reduced order models of electronics components. The tools will be validated and demonstrated on selected vehicle configurations and in consultation and collaboration with TACOM."
A Novel Microfluidic Device for Fully Automated Extraction of RNA from Cell Cultures,NNJ05JA04C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,2,599903.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Jennifer Swann,Business Official,2567264858,jls@cfdrc.com,Shankar Sundram,Principal Investigator,2567264892,sxs@cfdrc.com,"Obtaining high quality, intact RNA from cells is an ubiquitous need in the pursuit of space biology. Our overall objective is to develop and commercialize a microfluidics based miniaturized platform (MED-RNA) that can fully automate the complex process of RNA isolation. Starting from harvested whole mammalian cells in a culture medium, MED-RNA will lyse, capture, and isolate RNA content for later analysis, in a fully integrated fashion with minimal user intervention. In addition to higher yields and faster process times, losses and contamination will be minimized as a result of the miniaturization and automation. A novel and unique plastic card based fabrication technology from Micronics Corp. will be leveraged for low-cost microfabrication. The Phase I study successfully demonstrated concept development and design of three critical aspects of the MED-RNA, (1) on-card reagent based cell lysis, (2) non-toxic electric field driven cell lysis, and (3) RNA capture and elution in a microfluidic extraction chamber. Physical prototypes of the components were fabricated and experimentally demonstrated. During Phase II, we will further optimize the individual component designs. Optimal components, along with necessary valving will be integrated on a plastic, microfluidic lab card. The fully integrated prototype lab card will be demonstrated on chosen cell lines. Further ensuring success, CFDRC has assembled an experienced, multidisciplinary team."
Ram Air Turbine Driven Power and Cooling Unit for Enhanced EA-18 Pod Effectiveness,N68335-06-C-0083,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,538516.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Matthew E. Thomas,Director/Propulsion&Power,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"CFDRC has completed preliminary design of a next generation Ram Air Turbine (RAT) suitable for operation in the Navy's next generation electronic warfare pod. The RAT will be capable of delivering 60 KVA at a sea level flight speed of 280 knots. The unit will also be capable of providing adequate liquid coolant to maintain electronic component operating temperatures below specified levels. During Phase II the 60 KVA goal will be demonstrated using a turbine that includes inlet guide and de-swirl vanes with root and tip diameters of 10-12 and 18-20 inches respectively. To maximize turbine performance a regenerative heat exchanger system is under consideration. Phase II development will include detailed design, fabrication, assembly and wind tunnel test and evaluation of the prototype RAT system. CFDRC will lead the design and development of the turbine, inlet, and cooling systems. Several generator manufacturers are under consideration to support adaptation of existing generator technologies to meet future U.S. Navy power conditioning requirements. Our mature partnerships with numerous power and cooling equipment manufacturers will facilitate rapid Phase IIE RAT customization and Phase III commercialization within all impending Navy and Air Force missions."
Active Control of Lean Blowout Using an ANN-Based On-Line Direct Controller,N00014-05-C-0199,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,453327.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,David Black,Group Leader,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Combustor Lean BlowOut (LBO) is a significant challenge in modern military gas turbine combustors. LBO can occur either during rapid engine deceleration or during operation at idle conditions with water/steam ingestion. Current practice is to design adequate safety margins to avoid the onset of blowout. However, significant engine performance improvements can be realized though the development of a system that identifies and prevents blowout. Such a closed-loop, active control system is proposed for development in this SBIR. In Phase I, experiments were conducted and both chemiluminescence and pressure signal characteristics were identified that precede blowout. A prototype gas turbine injector being developed for JSF application under Navy sponsorship was used to provide a realistic and representative test environment. In Phase II, the complete system will be developed and demonstrated. A novel Artificial Neural Network (ANN) on-line direct controller will be developed to identify LBO precursors in real time and control the fuel injector response. An ANN-based direct controller does not require a system model and the controller automatically adjusts to changing dynamic system conditions. For LBO control, an innovative plasma-based flame stabilization system will be incorporated into the fuel injector and used to stabilize the flame beyond the lean blowout limits by introducing a pulsed corona discharge at the injector exit. CFD Research Corporation will team with Georgia Tech and use their facilities in Phase II."
Non-Dissipative LES Design Tool for Turbulent Combustion and Acoustics Analysis of Gas Turbine Combustors,FA8650-05-M-2560,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99993.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Paul Dionne,Senior Principal Engineer,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Combustion Large Eddy Simulation (LES) is a very promising approach for resolving acoustics in turbulent-reacting flows. CFD Research Corporation (CFDRC) has successfully developed and validated state-of-the-art Combustion LES software (CFD-ACE+) to analyze gas turbine acoustics, using unstructured grids with second-order temporal and spatial differencing. Still, unstructured LES has not yet matured to a practical design tool with an affordable turnaround time because very small time-steps and cell-sizes are needed to accurately resolve the small-scale acoustics physics. If the time-step or cell-size is increased in an attempt to reduce the run time, the code becomes too dissipative. Typical run times with CFD-ACE+ for accurate acoustic analysis are 40-50 days for 2M cells on 16 PCs. To make the code less dissipative, CFDRC proposes to develop a fourth-order accurate solver for unstructured grids. To our knowledge, a fourth-order solver has never been successfully developed for unstructured meshes. In Phase I, a fourth-order time-integration scheme and a fourth-order pressure interpolation will be implemented in CFD-ACE+. Significant reduction in run-time (~ 5-10 times) and numerical dissipation will be demonstrated. To further increase the accuracy and decrease run time, fourth-order spatial discretization and dynamic grid adaptation will be implemented in Phase II. At the end of Phase II, accurate combustion LES run times on 16 PCs will be 1-2 days. The software will be thoroughly validated and delivered to the Air Force."
Image/Model Based System for Optimized Helmet Design,W81XWH-05-C-0148,DOD,ARMY,STTR,2005,1,99983.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Andrzej J. Przekwas,Sr. Vice President/CTO,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Military helmets are designed based on costly and time consuming laboratory ballistic tests, firing range, and forensic data. Until now advanced medical imaging and computational modeling tools have not been adequately utilized in the design and optimization of military helmets. The overall objective of this project is to develop 3D medical imaging techniques for the brain ballistic injury model and high-fidelity Finite Element Model (FEM)-based computational tools for design of new generation military helmets. The integrated experimental and computational models will be used to study the blunt impact effect on the Kevlar helmet materials and the dynamic responses of the skull and brain. The numerical model will be validated against experimental data involving manikin, cadaver, and animal data. The tools will be demonstrated on the computational optimization of the helmet design and a multi-parametric design window: variable material composition, thickness, helmet-head standoff distance, and others. In phase II we will develop the test stand and a 3D imaging system scalable for various skull phenotypes. An integrated experimental/computational framework for the design of military helmets will be used to improve and optimize the latest generation of helmets to reduce ballistic and blast injuries. The framework will be delivered to the Army."
Shipboard Chem-Bio Agent Spread Modeling for Damage Control,N65538-05-M-0152,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,69929.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Mahesh M. Athavale,"Manager, Turbomachinery",2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"The overall objective of this project is to develop a system-level prognostic modeling tool for predictions of the spread of chemical/biological agents in shipboard air systems. The intent is to integrate the tool with existing DC systems. The proposed system will be modeled as a set of interacting software components coupled through a simulation environment. To achieve execution speed and accuracy, innovative use of Artificial Neural Nets (ANNs) will be made to model the different system components. The ANN models will directly interface with sensors and allow real-time updates of shipboard conditions, including sensor data validation. Phase I work will involve adaptation of an existing computational environment for multiple-thread parallel and series execution of the ANNs. Feasibility of the concept will be demonstrated on a representative ship section. Training of ANNs models will be done using CFD generated data. Treatment of sensor data validation and definition of the system architecture will be completed. Phase II project will involve adaptation of a network solver using ANNs as components for full ship system analysis. The software will be demonstrated and validated on a representative shipboard airflow system selected in collaboration with Navy, with ANNs trained for specific system components using CFD-generated and available experimental data. The work will oversee development of a GUI for effective data display to the operators, and development of strategies for interfacing with the ship control systems."
"Real-time, Three-dimensional, Visualization Software for Current and Next Generation Consequence Assessment Models",HDTRA1-05-P-0039,DOD,DTRA,SBIR,2005,1,99982.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,William J. Coirier,Manager/Research,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"A visualization package is proposed for the real time visualization of three-dimensional, time-varying hazards data generated by existing and next generation hazard and consequence assessment software. The Hazard Prediction Assessment Capability (HPAC) software will be used as a representative consequence assessment toolset, and the new visualization capability will be integrated in a manner applicable to other frameworks also in development. The visualization software will provide concurrent animations of time-varying data generated by Lagrangian and Eulerian transport models as well as related meteorological and Numerical Weather Prediction model data. Texture maps, terrain, foliage and cityscape models will also be displayed concurrently with the transport and dispersion related data, and the capability of generating commonly used movie file formats will be provided. Stereoscopic imaging of hazard plumes will be shown in Phase I and the feasibility of use of the coupled transport model/visualization package in advanced training simulators, such as The Force protection Operational Requirements Testbed (FORT) of AMRDEC, will be assessed. File-based integration will be demonstrated in Phase I, while Phase II will integrate the visualization in a real-time mode using an appropriate client/server framework, and/or direct integration within this framework for current and next generation hazards prediction models."
Understanding and Mitigating Adverse Health Effects in Space Using A System Physiology Software,NNC05CA28C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69957.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Jennifer Swann,Business Official,2567264858,jls@cfdrc.com,S. Krishnamoorthy,Principal Investigator,2567264858,jls@cfdrc.com,"NASA's vision for Space Exploration aims for human interplanetary missions that have significant challenges on crew health and safety including fluid shifts, and post-flight orthostatic intolerance. A predictive software tool that advances the understanding of underlying biofluid dynamics is critical to affordably analyzing and designing protective systems and countermeasures. CFDRC proposes to develop such software that will enable new insights and techniques to significantly increase the knowledge base through simulations and dramatically increase the leverage of limited in-flight cardiovascular investigations. In Phase I, we seek to develop an innovative network-based System Physiology Software tool, leveraging an ongoing NASA funded lab-on-a-chip system design effort. In the proof-of-concept study, a physiologically relevant component network representing elements of the human circulatory system will be assembled in a user-friendly GUI environment. This network, interfaced with high-fidelity multiphysics software (CFD-ACE+) will be solved for detailed analysis of local hemodynamic stresses on vascular endothelial cell structure, and compute microgravity effects on fluid shift. In Phase II, component models will be refined with detailed representation for arterial, venous and lymphatic effects, along with incorporation of metabolite transport and baroreflex models. Interface to systems biology models (cellular regulatory networks) will also be developed. CFDRC is the"
Improved Mixed-Mode Simulation Tools for Radiation Hardening of Nanoscale Semiconductor Integrated Circuits,HDTRA1-05-P-0084,DOD,DTRA,SBIR,2005,1,99893.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Marek Turowski,"Manager, Microelectronics",2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Strategic DoD satellite and missile systems (Space Based Radar, Space Tracking Surveillance Systems) operate in harsh radiation environments, and will be increasingly based on novel sub-100-nm semiconductor technologies and highly complex circuits. In order to ensure interruption-free operation, accurate prediction of the radiation response of these technologies and circuits is critical. To address this challenge, CFDRC, in collaboration with ISDE/Vanderbilt University, Mentor Graphics and Honeywell, proposes to develop an innovative mixed-mode simulation tool, which will feature: (a) Efficient coupling between CFDRC's NanoTCAD 3D device simulator and Berkeley SPICE circuit solver. This coupled tool will permit radiation-effects analysis at device-physics and full-scale circuit levels. (b) Improved quantum-physics models to accurately predict behavior of nanoscale technologies (90 nm, 65 nm). (c) Nanoscale radiation-effects models, such as Geant 4 particle ionization model, which are critical for deep-submicron technologies. In Phase I, the mixed-mode tool will be demonstrated for Single Event Effects in digital circuits. Additionally, alternative coupling mechanisms of NanoTCAD with ELDO circuit solver (Mentor Graphics) and with high-level behavioral simulator ModLyng (Lynguent) will be explored. In Phase II, analog circuitry and other radiation effects (Total Dose, Dose Rate) will be addressed, and the NanoTCAD interfaces with ELDO and ModLyng will be implemented."
Development and Validation of a Model for Gelled Hypergolic Reactions,W31P4Q-06-C-0162,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69947.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Matthew E. Thomas,Director/Propulsion&Power,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"A model that characterizes the flow patterns within gelled hypergolic reaction chambers, and its rigorous validation with prior and current engine development data, is proposed. Phase I modeling will leverage recent breakthroughs associated with hypergolic gel combustion stochastic turbulent dispersion, droplet breakup and a heuristic collision and evaporation methodology. During Phase I a reduced finite rate chemical reaction mechanism for MMH/IRFNA and DMAZ/IRFNA combustion will be conceived. In addition, the heuristic collision model currently in place for hypergolic gelled and ungelled combustion will be replaced with a group interaction stochastic approach. The properties of carbon-loaded MonoMethyl Hydrazine (MMH) fuel gel and Inhibited Red Fuming Nitric Acid (IRFNA) oxidizer gel associated with the Future Missile Technology Integration (FMTI) program will be used to compare the predictions of the conceptual model to experimental results. A second validation effort will be completed using liquid DiMethylAminoethylaZide (DMAZ) and liquid IRFNA data. Prediction of ignition delay time for both propellant combinations using Phase I validation will include existing Army test data. During the Option program detailed design of a test chamber capable of characterizing the spray formation and interfacial tensions associated with gelled and ungelled propellant combinations of interest to the Army will be prepared. Phase II will focus on detailed model refinement and validation using benchmark quality data from a customized test rig. The will be capable of considering both loaded and unloaded fuels."
Improved High-Fidelity Forecasting Capability using Combined Mesoscale and Microscale Models,HDTRA1-05-P-0025,DOD,DTRA,SBIR,2005,1,99925.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,William J. Coirier,Manager/Research,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"We propose to evaluate the improvement of atmospheric transport and dispersion model accuracy by synergistically combining mesoscale (NWP) and microscale (CFD) models in a manner suitable for an operational environment. The feasibility of a fully-coupled, combined, operational model will be addressed in the Phase I study by evaluating improved urban area transport behavior using OMEGA generated wind and turbulence data as boundary condition data to the CFD-Urban transport and dispersion model for simulations corresponding to the Urban 2000 Field Test. The NWP and CFD models will be fully-coupled in a two-way mode in Phase II, by supplying microscale model generated urban and surface layer parameterization data to the mesoscale model, and mesoscale model generated wind and turbulence field data to the microscale model. During Phase I, microscale, volumetrically generated urban area parameterizations will be directly compared to the urban canopy parameterizations used in the mesoscale model, and the computational framework to couple both models operationally will be assessed. Phase II will develop an operationally suitable computational framework to fully couple these and other NWP and transport and dispersion models, and will provide more accurate and timely wind field data for use in atmospheric transport and dispersion models."
SBIR Phase I: Multi-Scale Computational Environment for Combinatorial Technologies: Bridging Disparate Length and Time Scales,0441412,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,1,99973.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,Mr,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Alexsey Vasenkov,Dr,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I research project will develop software for emerging combinatorial technologies. The feasibility of the proposed approach will be investigated for plasma-assisted growth of carbon nanotubes. Combinatorial technologies have been developed to grow nanocrystal compounds whose properties are unmatched by other materials. These compounds are used for many applications in molecular-scale electronics and sensors, catalysis, and biomaterials. Progress in the virtual design of combinatorial methods lags behind experimental advances since existing atomistic models are too slow, while mesoscopic (continuum) codes are not capable of capturing nanoscale effects. This problem will be addressed by developing Multi-Scale Computational Environment (MSCE) that consists of a reactor-scale module for gas/plasma-phase and surface processes, a Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) module for the growth of molecular structures, a Molecular Dynamic (MD) module for the self-assembly of atoms into molecular structures, a ""Gap-tooth"" module for bridging reactor-scale and atomistic KMC simulations, and a ""Coarse timestepper"" module for coupling KMC and MD modeling. This tool will work on length and time scales that are a million times disparate. It is proposed to use continuum CFD-ACE and atomistic KMC-FILM tools both developed by CFDRC as well as publicly available MD-NAMD software. The focus of proposed work will be on the development of the Coarse timestepper and the Gap-tooth modules as well as integrating all modules into a single unit. The proposed work will create a virtual laboratory for combinatorial technologies such as advanced sputtering, thermal and plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition, and surface templating. This computational laboratory will be used for understanding and optimizing critical processes in carbon nanotube nucleation and growth, fabrication of nanophase biomaterials and semiconductor nanocrystals, nanoscale magnetism, and ultra-selective catalysis."
A Comprehensive Modeling Tool for Cold Hearth Melting Processes,FA8650-05-M-5214,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99984.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,H. Q. Yang,Chief Scientist,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"CFDRC proposes to develop a comprehensive, high fidelity commercial quality simulation tool for modeling the Cold Hearth Melting (CHM) processing of Titanium alloys. The code will accurately predict the transient temperature distribution, flow patterns, skull shape, species evaporation, and particle fates in the hearth region for a given set of dynamic operating conditions. The foundation for this tool will be the proven multi-physics package, CFD-ACE+. In Phase I, we will demonstrate parity with the current state of the art by comparison with the results of two selected models. In Phase II, we will improve the scope, speed and accuracy of the tool using an innovative combination of advanced numerical tools and expertise unique to CFDRC. These advanced tools include parallel processing, adaptive grids, advanced turbulence models, particle tracking, free surface modeling with Marangoni effects, Monte Carlo for radiative heat transport, and rarified gas dynamics with evaporation and deposition. These capabilities will be coupled and integrated into a user-friendly software package. The development will be performed in close collaboration with the industry to ensure relevance and facilitate technology transfer."
Enhanced Ultra Compact Combustion Using Electrostatic Charging,FA8650-05-M-2563,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99861.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Matthew E. Thomas,Director/Propulsion & Power,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"CFD Research has demonstrated improved atomization, mixing control and lower emissions using an electrostatic charged air-blast fuel injector retrofitable within the RR501-K U.S. Navy Shipboard gas turbine engine. Without altering current configurations electrostatic fuel injection and combustion charging could further reduce emissions, improve stability, enhance ignition and/or tailor thermal profiles in recent AFRL ultra compact combustor chamber designs. Specific milestones to be achieved during Phase I include: (a) Effective electrostatic charging of JP8 fuel using injector configurations and flow rates under consideration in current AFRL ultra-compact combustor configurations. (b) Ambient test and evaluation of charged and uncharged ultra-compact high swirl combustion in a circumferential cavity. Measurements of gaseous emissions, stability and ignition will be completed. (c) Numerical prediction of the secondary atomization and vaporization advantages electrostatic fuel injection and chamber charging has in selected ultra-compact and inter-turbine combustor configurations. During Phase II CFDRC will integrate electrostatic fuel injection and combustion chamber charging into a VAATE platform to demonstrate precision controlled combustion performance enhancements at full-scale conditions. General Electric, AADC, Pratt & Whitney and/or Honeywell will all be considered as Phase II rig test partners."
A New Method for Automation and Optimization of the Curve Fit Kinetics Generating Process,FA8650-05-M-2546,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99989.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Karl Meredith,Project Engineer,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Hydrocarbon combustion chemical kinetics are extremely complex, with detailed reaction mechanisms typically consist of thousands of reaction steps and hundreds of species. However, most reacting flow CFD simulations can only afford reduced global mechanisms with standard Arrhenius rates. Unfortunately, global mechanisms are typically only valid over limited operating ranges and cannot account for the combustion phenomenon of specific interest (e.g. NOx, CO, heat release, auto-ignition, etc.) In addition, global mechanism development is tedious and the developer often has trouble locating appropriate experimental data for the conditions of interest. In this SBIR, CFD Research Corporation proposes to develop an automated method for generating quasi-global reaction mechanisms along with their associated Arrhenius rate parameters. The current curve-fit-kinetics-generator employed by the Air Force will be incorporated into this framework and coupled with the automation and optimization algorithms. In Phase I, automatic generation of quasi-global mechanism steps and the respective species will be done via the computational singular perturbation (CSP) method. The rate parameters of the global mechanisms will be optimized to match laminar flame speed, blow out limits, and/or ignition delay as calculated from detailed kinetic models. In Phase II, the capability will be developed into a stand-alone package. The resulting model will be a community open source code that-given the desired number of steps, parameters of interest, and operating conditions-will automatically generate the optimum quasi-global mechanism and accompanying rate parameters."
Advanced Multidisciplinary Tool for Dynamic Loads Analysis of Aerospace Vehicles,FA9302-05-M-1018,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99981.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Essam Sheta,Principal Engineer,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Modern aerospace vehicles operate at high angles of attack and perform aggressive maneuvers, which lead to flow separation, turbulence, high dynamic loads problems such as buffet and flutter. Accurate CFD model-based simulation of these problems requires careful attention to fluid-grid movement, fluid-structure interfacing and turbulence. CFDRC proposes to develop and validate a novel structural-based ""brick analogy"" for dynamic grid movement and remeshing for unsteady computational aeroelasticity. In the proposed brick analogy, the structural Navier equation is applied both to structures deformation and to deforming portion of the CFD mesh, and all are solved by FEM. To preserve the grid smoothness and orthogonality, the nonlinear, large deformation with small strain rate theory is proposed. The proposed geometrically nonlinear ""brick analogy"" can sustain shear deformation due to the fact that the equilibrium is set up for a solid element instead of truss. In Phase I, the proposed brick analogy methodology will be developed, validated and assessed for CFD grid movement, and conservative-consistent fluid-structure interfacing will be adapted for data transfer between fluids and structures. In Phase II, the technique will be extended to couple the proposed technology with general purpose FEM structural codes and CFD codes and development of advanced unsteady turbulence modeling to analyze aerospace vehicle dynamics."
Determination of Influence Boundaries in CFD from Acoustic Intensity Distribution,FA8650-05-M-3529,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99958.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,H. Q. Yang,Chief Scientist,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Using influence region technique in CFD has the advantage of simpler grid generation, fast computing time, and the facility of multiple equation sets or multiple flow solvers. We propose to develop a first principal based, graphic interactive method for the determination of influence boundaries. We will use combined a) theoretical, b) numerical solution to acoustic equation, c) correlation function; and d) rule of thumb to determine the influence boundaries. Since theoretical solutions and empirical correlations are only valid for the simple geometries and flow conditions, the proposed fast acoustic equation solver will be more fundamentally sound and reliable. In the current approach, with given free stream Mach number, angles of attack, and model geometry, a CFD solution based on coarse mesh and simple physical model will be solved along with acoustic wave equation. Isotropic value of the acoustic intensity from the solution will be used to quantify the influence regions. In Phase I, a numerical solution to the acoustic equation with high order scheme will be implemented in an existing unstructured, solution adaptive CFD-Solver with overset grid capability. The feasibility of the wave intensity factor as physics base for the determination of influence boundaries will be explored by comparing with theoretical solution and empirical correlation. In Phase II interactive software to enable the visualization and analysis of computed flowfield solutions to be used as a guide in creation of the influence boundaries will be developed. Future verification and simulation of realistic complex air vehicle geometries using influence region method will be carried out, and the developed module and its implementation in other DoD CFD codes such AVUS will also be carried out in Phase II."
An Integrated Laser Based Rocket Chamber Ignition and Wall Diagnostics System,FA9300-05-M-3003,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99940.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Matthew E. Thomas,Director/Propulsion & Power,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) has matured to the level that direct measurement of internal rocket engine chamber species and temperatures is feasible. Laser Induced Spark Technology has matured to the level that it is now under consideration as the fundamental ignition source in numerous rocket engine applications. Integration of these technologies into a single system is proposed. Phase I proof of concept demonstration will include: 1. LIBS measurement and OH species and inferred temperatures in a GOx/CH4 combustion chamber at transient ignition and steady state conditions using equivalent laser energy and pulse formatting to an existing laser based ignition system; 2. Utilization of LIBS measurements to validate Large Eddy Simulation (LES) CFD based predictions of chamber species; 3. Inference of hot gas wall temperatures, heat fluxes and velocity profiles of a GOx/CH4 rocket engine using validated CFD based methods; and 4. Identification of commercial grade components suitable for an integrated laser based ignition and diagnostics system within a LOx/CH4 rocket chamber installation. CFDRC has teamed with the University of Tennessee Space Institute and Los Alamos National Laboratory to complete LIBS measurements using laser energy and multiplexing requirements comparable to what is present in a laser based rocket ignition system during Phase I. During Phase II CFDRC will demonstrate this system in a rocket launch environment."
A Coupled Transport and Fate Model for Health and Environmental Effects,FA9302-05-M-1016,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99998.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,William J. Coirier,Manager,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"A coupled transport, fate and human effects model is proposed that may be used to better understand and minimize the occupational exposure encountered during the maintenance of aircraft and other associated weapons systems while improving their operational efficiency. In Phase I a Computational Fluid Dynamics-based, micro-scale transport and dispersion model will be integrated with lung deposition and diffusion models. This integrated transport, inhalation, and dose model will first be assessed and calibrated by comparison to existing in-field test data, and then demonstrated by evaluating changes in operating procedures and prevailing conditions and their effect upon health and environment. The transport and inhaled dose of hazardous chemicals generated during the maintenance of modern weapon system maintenance, such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and aerosolized heavy metal particulates will be modeled. A comprehensive visualization capability will be demonstrated, showing the hazard plume and danger and safety areas and their spatial relationships to the maintenance personnel. The work proposed for the Phase I directly leads to a more complete model in Phase II, where more detailed toxicology and transdermal and transmucosal exposure can be included."
Intelligent Gas Sampling Probe with Internal Diagnostics and Control Capabilities,FA9101-05-M-0034,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99828.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. SInghal,President & CEO,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,David Black,Manager,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"For the characterization of reacting flows, it is essential to obtain accurate species measurements. Obtaining accurate measurements is difficult, due to bias introduced by continued reaction in the sample lines. A sample probe is needed that can reliably quench reactions at the probe tip, freezing the chemical composition for the downstream analyzers. Aerodynamic quenching can be very effective in freezing reactions, but achieving the necessary internal probe conditions to quench the reactions aerodynamically at various conditions can be extremely difficult. In this SBIR program, an innovative design methodology will be used to develop a smart probe configuration with diagnostic output and control characteristics that will allow reaction quenching to be monitored and the operating range of the probe extended. In Phase I, state-of-the-art numerical design techniques will be used to design a prototype probe geometry and evaluate its potential effectiveness in quenching reactions. Prototype hardware will be fabricated and tested in a laboratory setting to demonstrate probe features and operating range. In Phase II, the design will be optimized and tested at supersonic operating conditions, typical of those encountered in scramjets and the exhaust of augmented gas turbines. Testing will be performed at Virginia Tech (Joseph Schetz) and Arnold Air Force Base. Final probes will then be delivered to the Air Force."
"High Energy, Low Temperature Gelled Bi-Propellant Formulation for Long-Duration In-Space Propulsion",NNM05AA56C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69914.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264858,jls@cfdrc.com,Roberto Di Salvo,Principal Investigator,2567264858,jls@cfdrc.com,"Development of a candidate bi-propellant system consisting of a gelled hydrocarbon fuel coupled with a highly energetic gelled oxidizer suitable for outer planetary missions is proposed. Theoretical calculations suggest that this innovative combination can meet NASA's propulsion requirements for low power consumption (i.e. minimal use of heaters) while providing a vacuum specific impulse of 360 seconds. Gelling the propellant provides the advantage of higher volumetric efficiency and suspending energetic fine particulates (e.g. boron, carbon, or aluminum) increases the energetic yield. Furthermore, gels do not spread if spilled and have greatly reduced vapor pressure making their handling far less hazardous, compared to current spacecraft fueling procedures that employ highly toxic liquid hypergols.The Phase I program objectives will include the 1) formulation of gel propellant fuel samples, 2) measurement of their rheological properties as a function of temperature, 3) simulation of a gel-fueled thruster propellant flow network using NASA's GFSSP code, and 4) high-fidelity simulations of the gel propellant tank expulsion process at outer planet equilibrium temperatures. The Phase II will include further properties assessments, high-fidelity simulations of the bi-propellant combustion process followed by experimental gel thruster test and evaluation. This innovation will improve the safety, operability reliability, and performance of in-space propulsion systems and extend"
Computational Design Tool for the Synthesis and Optimization of Gel Formulations (SOGeF),W911NF-05-C-0101,DOD,ARMY,STTR,2005,1,99994.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Roberto Di Salvo,Group Leader,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Gel propulsion systems combine the best characteristics of solid and liquid propellants. The gel system stores like solid propellant, but flows like a liquid when pressurized, enabling throttle and restart capability similar to liquid propellants. An enabling technology for the further advancement of gelled propulsion is the development of tools to render the development of propellant formulations more systematic. Even today, the development of a new gel formulation is more an art than a science. Propellant chemists use their experience to prepare new formulations and through a process of trial-and-error, attempt to optimize the result. CFDRC, together with an unprecedented group of scientists from some of the most prestigious universities, proposes to develop an innovative computational design tool for the synthesis and optimization of gel formulations (SOGeF). Employing an ab initio approach, this team will develop a model for gel propellants that will accurately predict yield stress, syneresis, shear-thinning behavior, density, vapor pressure, surface tension in air and within metal manifolds, and aging behavior such as the loss of yield point, settling of solid additives, and the increase in syneresis with time. Inputs to this model will be physical and chemical properties of the liquid phase, the gellant, surfactants or crosslinkers, and/or solid performance enhancers."
Development of Neural Protectants Against Organophosphorus Compound Toxicity,W81XWH-06-C-0047,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69948.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok Singhal,President,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Jerry W. Jenkins,Group Leader,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"We propose to develop a novel methodology to systematically develop therapeutic compounds for treatment of organophosphate (OP) induced neurotoxicity. A core hypothesis is that combined temporal measurement and computational analysis of cellular processes is needed to understand neurotoxicity and discover novel therapeutics/protectants. We propose a combination of experiment and computation whose goal is to elucidate a detailed mechanistic description of OP neurotoxicity including signalingpathways, metabolic effects and biochemical markers. Starting from current knowledge, we will construct a map of neural signaling/activity pathways and identify reporters of modulation by OP compounds. Using a modified microphysiometer, the dynamic metabolic and signaling changes in neurotypical PC12 cell will be probed. Network analysis tools will be used to analyze the experimental data, in order to validate/modify proposed pathways. Sensitivity analyses will be performed to identify control points for efficaceous intervention. In Phase II, with the aid of expanded measurements, intervention points and candidate therapeutic compounds will be identified. A multi-disciplinary partnership with expertise in (a) dynamic measurements of cellular toxicology/metabolism and (b) in-silico modeling of cellular signaling/metabolism and (c) neurotoxicology has been assembled. The research will be leveraged on ongoing efforts related to analysis of toxin exposure effects both at Vanderbilt and CFDRC."
Aeroelastic Simulation Tool for Inflatable Ballute Aerocapture,NNM05AA37C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69965.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Jennifer Swann,Business Official,2567264858,jls@cfdrc.com,Peter A. Liever,Principal Investigator,2567264858,jls@cfdrc.com,"This project will develop a much-needed multidisciplinary analysis tool for predicting the impact of aeroelastic effects on the functionality of inflatable aeroassist vehicles. High-fidelity computational modules for fluid dynamics, heat transfer, structural dynamics, and dynamic motion will be coupled into a multidisciplinary computing environment. The multi-disciplinary system has been successfully applied for aeroelastic and dynamic simulations of fighter aircraft, hypersonic vehicles and planetary probes. The application range will be extended to the rarefied regime through integration of an existing NASA DSMC flow solver.In Phase I, continuum flow regime sample analyses will be performed for a trailing ballute configuration to demonstrate the capabilities of the software environment. Simulations will demonstrate the insight gained into the aerodynamic, material stress and localized heating effects from various levels of simulation fidelity: steady and unsteady flow, rigid or flexible structure, and static or dynamically moving vehicles. The feasibility of implementing the DSMC flow solver in the multidisciplinary simulation framework will be demonstrated for the case of a steady-state shape deformation prediction. Phase II efforts will focus on fully implementing the DSMC code and other NASA codes in the multidisciplinary environment. Extensive verification and validation studies will be performed, leveraging planned aeroelastic ballute windtunnel tests."
Improved Understanding of Space Radiation Effects on Exploration Electronics by Advanced Modeling of Nanoscale Devices and Novel Materials,NNA05AC28C,NASA,NASA,STTR,2005,1,99994.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,Business Official,2567264841,jls@cfdrc.com,Marek Turowski,Principal Investigator,2567264858,jls@cfdrc.com,"Future NASA space exploration missions will use nanometer-scale electronic technologies which call for a shift in how radiation effects in such devices and materials are viewed. The energy deposition by ionizing particles (so called single event effects) can no longer be treated as an average deposition (linear energy transfer, LET). Nano-scale electronic device responses are strongly related to the microstructure of the radiation event. This requires a much more detailed physics-based modeling approach. It is also important to convert such results into engineering models used in device and circuit designs. Hence, the proposed innovation: detailed high-energy-physics-based simulations of radiation events efficiently coupled with advanced device response computations. The innovative Technology Transfer: interface specification and implementation to allow smooth, automated integration between Vanderbilt University high-energy particle advanced computations and CFDRC Device Simulator, and to enable statistically meaningful runs on a massively parallel supercomputing cluster. Significance for NASA: the impact of such radiation events has implications for nano-scale devices operating in space exploration environments. The new approach to understanding the single-event response of semiconductor materials, devices, and circuits is necessary for reliable engineering models used for early design assessment, radiation hardening, and to reduce the amount of radiation testing cost and t"
"Novel Miniaturized, Electrothermal Activated, Optically Controlled, Highthroughput Noninvasive Drug Infusion Pump",W81XWH-06-C-0067,DOD,OSD,SBIR,2005,1,99959.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok Singhal,President,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Guiren Wang,Principal Engineer,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Our objective is to develop a novel, compact, lightweight, and disposable Micropump for safe and precise delivery of pharmacological agents and drugs. The proposed technology will couple recently reported electrokinetic phenomena, electrothermal flow, with an inline flow sensor based on Laser-Induced Fluorescence Photobleaching Anemometry and a feedback controller for automatic, digital control of infusion flow rate. The safety of the system is ensured via precise flow rate control for a specific drug to minimize dosage error. The pump will be designed to provide flow rates in the range of 1-500 ml/hr. The program objectives will be accomplished via several innovations (a) MEMS/microfluidics based architecture, (b) plastic laminates-based fabrication (target cost < $10/piece), and (c) simulation-based design for optimal performance. During Phase I, we will demonstrate two critical components of the system, Micropump and flow sensor. Preliminary Design Review document based on detailed analysis of pumping requirements will be prepared. A design strategy for improved safety features will be developed. In Phase II, integrated system development will be the major focus, with comprehensive design of feedback controller, scale-up and system integration to meet DoD needs. A multidisciplinary team with proven expertise in biomicrosystems engineering, optics and microfabrication has been assembled. The research work will leverage on existing microfluidic product development projects."
Portable Near Infrared Detection of Blast Lung Injury,W81XWH-05-C-0056,DOD,OSD,SBIR,2005,1,0.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Zbigniew Sikorski,Principal Scientist,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Rapid noninvasive detection of blast lung injury is of great interest for forward military medical care, homeland defense, and civilian trauma. Near Infrared and Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy (NIRS, DOS) are novel techniques that can penetrate non-invasively through the thorax/lungs, detect air/blood beneath the surface, and measure the lung function. The overall objective of this project is to develop, test, and validate NIRS/DOS instrument for blast lung injury. In Phase I we have developed a prototype device and tested it on animal models. Advanced optical simulations have been conducted to scale the device to human conditions (deeper penetration distance), for device design, and for optimization of source/detector geometry. Phase II work will concentrate on device maturation and on development of ultrasonically enhanced NIRS/DOS detection fur human scale optical penetration depths. Our preliminary results also indicate that a subsecond time resolution device can be fabricated that will enable time-gated respiration cycle resolved imaging and detection of subpleural pneumo/hemothorax. The prototype instrument will be tested, optimized, and validated on a custom designed in vitro thorax/lung phantom. It will be experimentally tested to determine usability and accuracy on patho-physiological condition animal models, and on human clinical data. CFDRC-UCI team will establish plans for device miniaturization and portability in rugged military and ambulatory applications."
Portable Near Infrared Detection of Blast Lung Injury,W81XWH-05-C-0056,DOD,OSD,SBIR,2005,2,729959.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President,2567264800,aks@cfdrc.com,Zbigniew Sikorski,Principal Scientist,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Rapid noninvasive detection of blast lung injury is of great interest for forward military medical care, homeland defense, and civilian trauma. Near Infrared and Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy (NIRS, DOS) are novel techniques that can penetrate non-invasively through the thorax/lungs, detect air/blood beneath the surface, and measure the lung function. The overall objective of this project is to develop, test, and validate NIRS/DOS instrument for blast lung injury. In Phase I we have developed a prototype device and tested it on animal models. Advanced optical simulations have been conducted to scale the device to human conditions (deeper penetration distance), for device design, and for optimization of source/detector geometry. Phase II work will concentrate on device maturation and on development of ultrasonically enhanced NIRS/DOS detection fur human scale optical penetration depths. Our preliminary results also indicate that a subsecond time resolution device can be fabricated that will enable time-gated respiration cycle resolved imaging and detection of subpleural pneumo/hemothorax. The prototype instrument will be tested, optimized, and validated on a custom designed in vitro thorax/lung phantom. It will be experimentally tested to determine usability and accuracy on patho-physiological condition animal models, and on human clinical data. CFDRC-UCI team will establish plans for device miniaturization and portability in rugged military and ambulatory applications."
Portable Near Infrared Detection of Blast Lung Injury,W81XWH-05-C-0056,DOD,OSD,SBIR,2005,1,99893.00,CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION,"701 McMillian Way, NW",Ste D,HUNTSVILLE,AL,35806-2922,Yes,Yes,No,Ashok K. Singhal,President & CEO,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,Zbigniew Sikorski,Research Engineer,2567264800,jls@cfdrc.com,"Broadband Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy (DOS) is a novel technique to quantitatively measure bulk tissue absorption and scattering spectra in the near infrared. DOS is potentially an ideal Primary Blast Lung Injury (PBLI) monitoring technique. The overall objective of this project is to model, test, and validate NIRS/DOS assessment of PBLI in Phase I, then develop a small portable field deployable ambulatory test prototype NIRS/DOS device in Phase II. First, simple Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) experiments will be conducted using pig chest wall and lungs to evaluate light penetration through the chest walls and optimize source/detector geometry. Then NIRS signatures of the appropriate PBLI injury scenarios (e.g. pneumo-hemothorax, hemorrhagic edema) will be identified. The results will be used to assess the broadband NIRS/DOS measurements of chest wall/lung absorption and scattering properties at the Beckman Laser Institute, where the broadband DOS was pioneered and advanced. Reliable tissue models are important part of the DOS technique. They are used to quantitatively relate detected light signal to absorption and reduced scattering coefficients that are indicators of the pulmonary physiologic state (hemoglobin concentration and oxygenation). CFDRC will develop software for calculation of the Diffuse Photon Density Wave propagation in realistic chest wall/lung tissue and pathologic conditions. In Phase II prototype NIRS/DOS PBLI device will be developed, tested at UCI and CFDRC and commercialized."
A Novel High Throughput Assay for Ion Channel Modulators,2R44HL075909-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,907316.00,"Chanxpress, Inc.","Chanxpress, Inc.",14656 Neo Pky,Cleveland,OH,44128,Yes,No,No,Diana Kunze,,2165811496,DKUNZE@CHANXPRESS.COM,Barbara A. Wible,,2165811496,bwible@chanxpress.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Ion channels comprise 10-20 percent of known drug targets for diseases including cardiac arrhythmias, stroke, hypertension, heart failure, asthma, cystic fibrosis, epilepsy, migraine, mental disorders, muscular dystrophy, and cancer. While ion channels provide important therapeutic targets, they are often the focal point of unwanted drug interactions leading to potentially serious side effects. The cardiac potassium channel hERG is the most common target of undesired drug interactions; block of hERG can predispose individuals to cardiac arrhythmias, long QT syndrome, and sudden cardiac death. The FDA recommends that all drugs being considered for investigational new drug applications (IND) be tested for their effects on the hERG potassium channel in preclinical studies. Due to the increasing costs of drug development, it is crucial that pharmaceutical companies test their compounds for hERG liability at early stages in the process. Recent evidence indicates that drug-induced hERG liability can arise not just from direct block of the channel, but by inhibiting the movement of the hERG channel from its intracellular site of synthesis to the cell surface. This trafficking inhibition results in fewer functional channels at the cell surface. Arsenic trioxide and pentamidine, both of which are in clinical use today, act in this fashion and have been linked to long QT syndrome. None of the current methods for determining hERG liability are able to detect trafficking inhibitors. ChanXpress, Inc. has developed a novel safety screen for hERG liability that is the most comprehensive available. It detects both channel blockers and trafficking inhibitors using a proprietary technology that monitors surface expression of hERG channels using an antibody-based, chemiluminescent assay. In Phase II, we will compile a hERG liability database of 880 compounds that includes results from hERG-Lite screening along with patch clamp and Western blot data. We will automate the HERG-Lite assay at ChanXpress so that it can be offered to more clients with a higher throughput than is currently available. Finally, ChanXpress will develop a HERG-Lite kit that includes cell line, reagent, and instrumentation options so that clients are able to perform that assay at their own facility. The combination of speed, low cost, high throughput, and comprehensive hERG liability predictions position HERG-Lite as the premier assay for hERG liability screening early in the drug development process."
Intelligent Distributed Decision Management for Avionics Systems,FA8650-05-C-4302,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,749841.00,CYBERNET SYSTEMS CORPORATION,3885 RESEARCH PARK DR,,ANN ARBOR,MI,48108-2217,Yes,No,No,Charles J. Jacobus,President,7346682567,proposals@cybernet.com,Charles J. Cohen,"Vice President, R & D",7346682567,ccohen@cybernet.com,"The Air Force requires a system that is able to connect multiple onboard aircraft systems, providing a translation mechanism to allow all of them to interoperate. During the Phase I effort we demonstrated the feasibility of such a system by developing an Intelligent Distributed Decision Management (IDDM) system. This system helps to minimize the cognitive load on Decision Makers and Shooters while, at the same time, aids in minimizing the bandwidth requirements of the IDDM itself. Furthermore, the system also facilitates the aggregation of data and the definition of rules for the propagation or filtering of data. In Phase II, we will write translators for a number of other client protocols, beyond the SADL translator completed in the Phase I, to demonstrate the capability of our common FOM to express all concepts used across these disparate domains. We also propose to continue the development of an IDDM architecture for Flight Systems, and will work with Ball Aerospace to create two products: a pre-production prototype software RTAG (""Real-Time Information into the Cockpit"" to Avionics Gateway) and a Commander's Portal. A hardware version of the RTAG will also be designed and prototyped."
Modulated Microwave Vehicle Stopping,NBCHC060041,DHS,DHS,SBIR,2005,1,99459.00,CYBERNET SYSTEMS CORPORATION,3885 RESEARCH PARK DR,,ANN ARBOR,MI,48108-2217,Yes,No,No,David L. Denomme,Contracts Manager,7346682567,proposals@cybernet.com,Joseph S. Tesar,Director of Research and Development,7346682567,,"Stopping vehicles, which are potential car bomb threats or are simply fleeing a crime scene at high speed allows military and law enforcement personnel added effectiveness. Furthermore, the current option of high-speed pursuit adds almost as much danger as might be avoided if the assailant is subdued. For this reason, many local police forces operating on a purely civilian mandate have stopped authorizing such high-speed pursuit for less serious crimes for the public safety.This solicitation calls for a means for stopping uncooperative vehicles (those that do not intentionally which to stop upon police or military request), which can be exercised safely from pursuit aircraft or automobile. We propose to develop a system that does this by transmitting modulated microwave energy to the target vehicle that is tailored to disrupt the computation functions of the vehicle engine controller, thus stopping the vehicle."
HARDWARE-ASSISTED SYSTEM SECURITY MONITOR,NBCHC060019,DHS,DHS,SBIR,2005,1,99894.00,CYBERNET SYSTEMS CORPORATION,3885 RESEARCH PARK DR,,ANN ARBOR,MI,48108-2217,Yes,No,No,David L. Denomme,Contracts Manager,7349559005,proposals@cybernet.com,Chris Lomont,Principal Investigator,7349559005,,"Rootkits are Trojan horses installed by an intruder that mask changes that have been made in a system after attack. They replace or modify intrusion or other system status detecting applications so that they report a properly functioning system to a systems administrator, when in fact, the system has been compromised. Our solution to this requires designing a Linux based PC add on card that can monitor file access and prevent designated sectors from being written, as well as a memory scanner to catch memory resident rootkits. A GUI tool will allow an administrator to configure the device, which can only be accessed from a USB port. A valuable spin-off would be a bootable CD-ROM rootkit detection and repair tool for Windows."
Scalable Geo Telemetry Network,W9132V-05-C-0011,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69674.00,CYBERNET SYSTEMS CORPORATION,3885 RESEARCH PARK DR,,ANN ARBOR,MI,48108-2217,Yes,No,No,Charles J. Cohen,"Vice President, R & D",7346682567,proposals@cybernet.com,Charles J. Jacobus,President,7346682567,chuck@cybernet.com,"We will develop a scalable low bandwidth network to automatically collect, process, archive, and disseminate information that supports/enhances training and readiness, safety, security, and environmental management. As a common substrate to this network we will develop and demonstrate a Geo Telemetry Unit (GTU) that will include a power source, GPS WAAS Receiver and Zigbee based wireless telemetry for mesh networking. The GTU will connect to a wide range of sensors. The vision is an integrated and automated network of operational meteorological, oceanographic, acoustic/seismic and security sensors located through large areas. At the monitoring installation, automated tools will be developed to overlay the data from these sensors in a GIS. The GTUs will also be controlled and monitored from these installations. The Phase I will also include development and demonstration of Gateways, to interconnect different networks. Gateways will also be used for any larger bandwidth requirements due to aggregation of data from several sensors before reaching the centralized monitoring station. When GPS signal is not available, utilization of RF ranging and pseudo-satellites will be considered."
Using Machine Vision Techniques to Create a Multi-Resolution Obstacle Database,N00421-05-C-0022,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,79815.00,CYBERNET SYSTEMS CORPORATION,3885 RESEARCH PARK DR,,ANN ARBOR,MI,48108-2217,Yes,No,No,Charles J. Cohen,"Vice President, R&D",7346682567,proposals@cybernet.com,Douglas Haanpaa,Research Engineer,7346682567,dhaanpaa@cybernet.com,"The Navy requires an architecture for acquiring and storing 3-Dimensional obstacle data. An extension of the Terrain Awareness Warning System (eTAWS), the obstacle database must store man-made objects such as buildings, bridges, towers, overpasses, and wires. The system must be able to generate obstacle database data from a number of sources including synthetic aperture radar (SAR), stereo/multiple aerial/satellite photography, and raw geodetic survey data.Cybernet proposes to focus on the collection of 3D obstacle geometry/location based on aerial photography and using advance image processing techniques. This collection process will then be used to populate an indexed database that stores obstacle data at multiple resolutions. By indexing the data, we will be able to reduce the storage requirements by storing redundant data only once. By storing the data at multiple resolutions we allow the application accessing it to balance the tradeoffs corresponding to the different levels of resolution/detail, such as resolution vs. coverage area."
Multi-Modal Hands-Free Interface for Aircraft Maintainers,FA8650-05-M-6578,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99170.00,CYBERNET SYSTEMS CORPORATION,3885 RESEARCH PARK DR,,ANN ARBOR,MI,48108-2217,Yes,No,No,Charles J. Jacobus,President,7346682567,proposals@cybernet.com,Charles J. Cohen,Vice President - R&D,7346682567,ccohen@cybernet.com,"We propose a hands-free data entry system to be used by Air Force aircraft maintenance personnel in noisy environments. To mitigate the noise sensitivity of voice recognition systems, we propose using simultaneous methods of input including voice, non-interfering gestures, facial feature extraction, and workspace analysis to disambiguate user focus of intention.Cybernet is ideally suited to do this work because of our corporate focus on man/machine interfaces, our current work creating aircraft maintenance aids, and our previous work with all of the component technologies including voice recognition, gestures, facial feature extraction, and real-time image processing."
Orientation Invariant Combat Identification,N68335-06-C-0065,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,79810.00,CYBERNET SYSTEMS CORPORATION,3885 RESEARCH PARK DR,,ANN ARBOR,MI,48108-2217,Yes,No,No,Charles J. Cohen,Vice President R&D,7346682567,proposals@cybernet.com,Glenn Beach,Director R&D,7346682567,proposals@cybernet.com,"A primary mission of Naval air assets is to detect and destroy enemy ground targets. In order to accomplish this mission, the weapon systems must be able to detect and classify potential targets to determine which are valid targets. Traditional combat identification has been performed using all weather sensors and processing algorithms designed specifically for such sensor data. Newer electro-optical (EO) sensors produce a very different type of data that does not lend itself to the traditional combat identification algorithms. Therefore, there is a need for new algorithms to perform combat identification within EO data. Cybernet proposes to leverage our existing pose determination system to create algorithms for performing combat identification of targets within EO sensor data at any orientation. The system uses feature data (typically object edge data) and a target database to determine the 3D position and orientation of the object and the object's identity. The system stores a very compressed representation of the target for comparison purposes. This allows target information to be shared easily of networked resources."
Adaptive Decision System for C2BMC Systems,W9113M-05-C-0031,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99920.00,CYBERNET SYSTEMS CORPORATION,3885 RESEARCH PARK DR,,ANN ARBOR,MI,48108-2217,Yes,No,No,Charles J. Jacobus,President,7346682567,proposals@cybernet.com,Charles J. Cohen,"Vice President, R & D",7346682567,ccohen@cybernet.com,"A primary task of resource allocation personnel is making accurate decisions and scheduling control commands in a quick and timely manner using large amounts of data from disparate sources. An intelligent system could help facilitate this decision-making. We propose using an Advanced Decision System (ADS) as a man-machine decision interface for such large and complex situations. The ADS incorporates the mechanisms needed to assure robust decision-making performance, while enabling human intervention for difficult problems at appropriate times. Because this overall approach amplifies a person's ability to process very large amounts of aggregate relevant data in short time periods, it provides a framework for significantly extending the ability to perform analysis of real-world problems, such as those found in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance systems. Previously developed expert systems could not handle the complex scheduling requirements, especially within a reasonable computation time. Other systems also do not facilitate human intervention for complex or unknown situations. The ADS quickly responds to simple decisions, yet it also can determine when to draw on more expertise for more complex and critical decisions. For this effort, we will demonstrate the use of an ADS system to appropriately schedule missile operations, especially in an information overload scenario."
Mutli-Domain Distributed Mission Simulation Enterprise,W9113M-05-C-0043,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99918.00,CYBERNET SYSTEMS CORPORATION,3885 RESEARCH PARK DR,,ANN ARBOR,MI,48108-2217,Yes,No,No,Charles J. Jacobus,President,7346682567,proposals@cybernet.com,Charles J. Cohen,"Vice President, R & D",7346682567,ccohen@cybernet.com,"The HLA framework has not addressed the significant issues of a heterogeneous operating environment in terms of security and high levels of scalability. Currently, all participants must have a minimum clearance as dictated by the simulated scenario. Even one small piece of a simulation, even a single entity, can cause an entire simulation to be inaccessible to a large group lacking the needed clearance. Furthermore, only a small number of entities can be involved in a simulation before the network traffic prohibits any real time interaction, modeling, and training. Cybernet Systems, with Ball Aerospace, proposes to design and demonstrate a mechanism, an extension, to the HLA that allows massive numbers of federations of differing clearance levels to interact in the same simulation environment by automatically filtering and modifying data that should not be seen by those with inadequate clearance. We call this the Mutli-Domain Distributed Mission Simulation Enterprise (MDDMSE). It includes the tools to allow simulation developers to specify clearance needed on a sub-entity level, methods for scaling simulations to thousands and hundreds of thousands of entities, a method for sending and receiving data to and from different simulations, and an executive control and visualization system."
Computer Models and Simulations for Kinetic Energy Weapons,W9113M-05-C-0042,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99985.00,CYBERNET SYSTEMS CORPORATION,3885 RESEARCH PARK DR,,ANN ARBOR,MI,48108-2217,Yes,No,No,Charles J. Cohen,"Vice President, R &D",7346682567,proposals@cybernet.com,Chris Lomont,Research Engineer,7346682567,clomont@cybernet.com,"Based on data provided by the Government, Cybernet will develop computer models and integrated simulations to assess the effectiveness of Kinetic Energy Weapons (KEW) engaging full threat systems to aid KE-boost weapon design. The effort will collect and organize Government supplied information into a form that can be coded into a simulation model that can be used to enhance the technical understanding of advanced interceptors and interceptor subcomponents and to perform critical experiments that characterize element attributes and demonstrate KE boost phase feasibility. The goal is to effectively organize data describing boost phase KEW engagements in a way that allows weapon designers and decision makers to make informed decisions concerning alternative systems' effectiveness."
Modular Agent-Based Component Architecture,W15QKN-05-C-1208,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119824.00,CYBERNET SYSTEMS CORPORATION,3885 RESEARCH PARK DR,,ANN ARBOR,MI,48108-2217,Yes,No,No,Charles J. Cohen,"Vice President, R & D",7346682567,proposals@cybernet.com,Chris Lomont,Research Engineer,7346682567,clomont@cybernet.com,"Cybernet proposes to create a software architecture that will allow off-the-shelf autonomous software agents to make use of artificial intelligence (AI) modules to solve a number of problems in the Army weapons fire domain. This system will be designed for compatibility with Future Combat Systems (FCS) by making it compliant with the System of Systems Common Operating Environment (SoS COE) specification. A number of AI techniques will be explored, including belief networks (Bayesian, Dempster-Shafer), rule-based systems, goal-directed systems, and constraint programming systems."
Enterprise Portal Software for Improved Situation Awareness,FA8650-05-M-6567,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99843.00,CYBERNET SYSTEMS CORPORATION,3885 RESEARCH PARK DR,,ANN ARBOR,MI,48108-2217,Yes,No,No,Charles J. Cohen,Vice President - R&D,7346682567,proposals@cybernet.com,Steven Rowe,Research Engineer,7346682567,srowe@cybernet.com,"We propose to develop an enterprise portal architecture for integrating Air Force data sources, making this information accessible through standard web appliances. Our proposed solution is a two-fold approach. First, we will develop an enterprise portal server technology that makes use of and extends Cybernet Systems OpenSkies┐ networking and simulation technologies. Second, we will design and implement a framework for situation awareness including a thorough investigation and trial of prototyped human-computer interfaces. We will design the visual presentation of the portal website with a focus on improving situation awareness on a variety of web-enabled platforms in a distributed ground network."
MEDICATION COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (MCMS),N44AA510004,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,420139.00,CYBERNET SYSTEMS CORPORATION,3885 RESEARCH PARK DR,,ANN ARBOR,MI,48108-2217,Yes,No,No,Pavan Namineni,,7346682567,,Pavan Namineni,,,AA,N/A
New Thalidomide Analogs for Retinal Neovacularization,1R43EY016627-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,149800.00,"CHARLESSON, LLP",800 Research Parkway,,OKLAHOMA CITY,OK,73104-3611,Yes,No,No,,,4054136290,,Kangmo Lu,,4052714629,klu@ouhsc.edu,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes mellitus and a leading cause of blindness in the developed countries. There are two major pathological changes which impair vision in diabetic retinopathy: diabetic macular edema (DME) resulting from increased retinal vascular permeability and abnormal angiogenesis in the retina or retinal neovascularization (NV). Currently, there is no effective drug treatment for DME and retinal NV. Over-expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is believed to play a critical role in the development of DME and retinal NV. Thalidomide and its analogs have been shown to have anti-angiogenic activities and have been used for the treatments of multiple myenoma and several cancers. The application of thalidomide and its existing analogs in the treatment of retinal neovascular disorders is limited due to their weak anti-angiogenic activities. Novel compounds with improved anti-angiogenic activities are needed. Recently, our collaborator has synthesized a series of novel thalidomide analogs by substituting the glutaramide ring of thalidomide with an aromatic group. The in vitro assays have shown that three of these analogs have more potent anti-agiogenic activity than thalidomide and other existing analogs. We hypothesize that these analogs have therapeutic potential in the treatment of DME and retinal NV.
This Phase I project will serve as a proof-of-concept study to confirm the anti-angiogenic effect of the three thalidomide analogs on retinal NV in a rat model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR), a commonly used animal model of retinal NV. We will determine if these compounds can prevent the development of retinal NV and arrest its progression. As these compounds block the expression of HIF-1, a key transcription factor up-regulating VEGF expression, we hypothesize that they may also reduce vascular permeability in diabetic retina. The effect of these compounds on retinal vascular permeability will be determined in steptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The effect of these compounds will be compared with that of thalidomide. These studies will not only reveal the therapeutic potenital of these compounds in the treatment of retinal NV and DME, but also determine if they are more potent than thalidomide. The Phase I project will lay a solid ground for the Phase II to investigate the mechanism, delivery routes, metabolism and toxicities of these compounds. Therefore, this project has potential to develop novel anti-angiogenic drugs with improved potency."
Peptide Eyedrops for Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy,1R43EY016921-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,133750.00,"CHARLESSON, LLP",800 Research Parkway,,OKLAHOMA CITY,OK,73104-3611,Yes,No,No,Robert Mott,,4054136290,RMOTT@OUHSC.EDU,Kangmo Lu,,4052714629,klu@ouhsc.edu,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes and a leading cause of blindness in the US and the world. Diabetic macular edema (DME) and retinal neovascularization are the two major pathological alternations leading to the vision loss in diabetic retinopathy. The retinal vascular hyper-permeability or vascular leakage is primarily responsible for DME. Over-expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the retina plays a crucial role in the BRB breakdown. Currently, there is no effective and noninvasive treatment for DME. A new, non-invasive and cost-effective treatment for DME is needed.
It has been found that plasminogen kringle 5 (K5), an 80-amino acid fragment of plasminogen, has the potent anti-angiogenic activity, such as inhibiting the endothelial cell proliferation and migration, which are an important process in angiogenesis. Our previous studies have demonstrated that K5 blocks the VEGF overproduction in the retina and effectively reduces retinal vascular leakage in three independent retinopathy animal models after a single intra-ocular or peri-ocular injection of a low dose. Moreover, the effect of K5 on vascular permeability can be achieved via topical application of K5 eyedrops. These results suggest that administration of this angiogenic inhibitor should have therapeutic effect on DME. We hypothesize that the continuous topical application of K5 eyedrops may become an effective and non-invasive therapy for DME.
The objective of this Phase I project is to prove the concept that the K5 eyedrop administration can have long-term therapeutic effect on vascular leakage in the retina of STZ-induced diabetic rats. To obtain the effective concentration of K5 eyedrops for blocking retinal vascular leakage in diabetic rats, we will investigate the pharmacokinetics and distribution of K5 after the administration of K5 eyedrops. Then, we will determine if continuous administration of the K5 eyedrop can result in sustained reduction of retinal vascular leakage in the diabetic rat model.
The vascular permeability will be measured by the Evans blue-albumin and fluorescein-albumin leakage methods. The Phase I project will not only address the feasibility to use K5 eyedrops for the treatment of DME, but also generate essential data and lay a solid ground for the development of a marketable product in the Phase II studies. Our long-term goal is to develop a novel, noninvasive, effective therapy for DME."
Treatment of Retinal Vascular Leakage Using Angiostatin,1R43EY016298-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,149800.00,"CHARLESSON, LLP",800 Research Parkway,,OKLAHOMA CITY,OK,73104-3611,Yes,No,No,,,4054136290,,Gennadiy Moiseyev,,4052714629,GENNADIY-MOISEYEV@OUHSC.EDU,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes. It affects millions people and is a leading cause of blindness in the industrialized countries. In diabetic retinopathy, there are two major pathological changes responsible for vision loss, diabetic macular edema (DME) and retinal neovascularization. DME can occur at early stages of diabetic retinopathy. The breakdown of the blood-retina barrier (BRB) and subsequent retinal vascular hyper-permeability or leakage of macromolecules from the blood vessels into the retina are believed to be the major causes of DME. It has been shown that the over-expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in diabetic retina plays a key role in the BRB breakdown and development of DME.
Angiostatin, a proteolytic fragment of plasminogen, is a potent angiogenic inhibitor. It is present at high levels in normal vitreous and retina. Decreased vitreous angiostatin levels are associated with diabetic retinopathy. Recently, we have identified a new activity of angiostatin, i.e., blocking plasma protein leakage from blood vessels into the retina. A single intra-ocular injection of angiostatin can significantly reduce vascular leakage in the retina of the oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes rat models. The effect on vascular leakage requires substantially lower doses than that required for its anti-angiogenic activity. Moreover, we have shown that angiostatin down-regulates VEGF expression in the retina, suggesting that angiostatin may function as a specific inhibitor of VEGF expression, which may be responsible for its effect on vascular leakage. The central hypothesis of this proposal is that angiostatin can have therapeutic effect in the treatment of DME. In this project, we propose the following studies to explore therapeutic potential of angiostatin in the treatment of DME.
1) To determine if trans-sclera deliveries of angiostatin can reduce retinal vascular leakage in diabetic rats. This study will develop and optimize a peri-ocular delivery route for angiostatin and determine its effect on retinal vascular leakage in diabetic rats. The optimized peri-ocular delivery route will be used for the sustained delivery of angiostatin.
2) To determine if sustained release of angiostatin can induce prolonged reduction of retinal vascular leakage in diabetic rats. Angiostatin will be formulated into polymer microspheres or pellets which will be implanted into the peri-ocular space to achieve sustained release. The long-term efficacy of the angiostatin-polymer on retinal vascular leakage will be evaluated.
Our long-term goal is to develop a new, non-invasive and effective treatment for DME using natural peptides. This project will test the feasibility using angiostatin as a representative and will contribute to the development of a new drug therapy for DME."
Digital Archive and Access to Lifetime Military Medical Records,W81XWH-05-C-0107,DOD,OSD,SBIR,2005,1,99970.00,CHENEGA ADVANCED SOLUTIONS & ENGINEERING-LLC,610 W. 25th Street,,Norfolk,VA,23517,Yes,Yes,No,Tom Whisnant,Director of Contracts/Operations,7572260171,Tom.Whisnant@case-llc.com,Mike Abraham,Project Manager,7576274404,Mike.Abraham@case-llc.com,"Military health records are collected at the installation where the service member separates and is sent to a central military records repository. Subsequent access to these records by the individual, healthcare provider, or by a Veteran's Affairs representative is accomplished via a difficult bureaucratic and manual process. These records are then often lost or misplaced. By combining CASE-LLC and and CHS expertise and experience, we will develop a concept and design to automate these medical records and make them readily accessible by a web enabled system. There are unique challanges in developing the concept and design because of non-standard, descriptive healthcare terrmonology. This design will lead to lowering health care costs, improving patient care and creating predictable models for future planning."
Advanced Antenna Pattern Prediction Software,FA9550-05-C-0073,DOD,USAF,STTR,2005,1,99955.00,"CHEW CONSULTING, INC.",2510 Stanford Drive,,Champaign,IL,61820 0763,Yes,Yes,No,Chew C. Phua,President,2173599695,ccphua@insightbb.com,Weng Chew,Chief Technical Officer,2176211742,wchew2@insightbb.com,"We propose to develop advanced antenna pattern prediction software using fast algorithm for integral equation. The software will be developed from first principle integral equation solver accelerated by the multi-level fast multipole algorithm. Material effects will be included using volume integral equation and a newly developed thin dielectric sheet model. The model entails full physics, and hence any surface wave effect will be included in the simulation software. The software will be developed with well-tested physics-based preconditioning technique. The preconditioner will greatly reduce the number of iterations needed to solve the integral equation, making the solving of realistic real world problems possible. Because of the acceleration of the integral equation solution by fast solvers, the software for prediction of complex and advance systems can solve millions of unknowns. Also, the use of thin dielectric sheet model makes the modeling of absorption material on the surface of the aircraft simpler, requiring fewer unknowns. Compared to high frequency methods, the software is highly error controllable, allowing accurate simulations. The accuracy can be easily improved by increasing the number of unknowns needed to model the complex geometry. Also, a fast far field algorithm will be use to calculate the radiation pattern rapidly."
Digital Video Monitor and Analysis of Seizures with EEG,2R44NS044658-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,1583099.00,"Clever Systems, Inc.",1334 Stokley Way,,Vienna,VA,22182,Yes,Yes,No,Naili Zhang,,7037577382,NLIZ99@HOTMAIL.COM,Yiqing Liang,,7037577482,YLIANG@OSF1.GMU.EDU,"DESCRIPTION (PROVIDED BY APPLICANT): we propose to develop a completely functioning prototype system for automated and high-throughput seizure detection and classification in animals, mainly in mice or rats or guinea pigs, based on semiology (video record). The purposes of the project are to first develop technologies and tools that can automatically detect seizures through visual observation; then further classify those seizures according to a classification scheme when possible. The video detection and classification approach will complement EEG analysis approach to achieve accurate and precise results. These detection and classification will be conducted in high throughput mode to meet the increasing demand. This technology will open a new avenue to detecting and analyzing seizures besides traditional ictal epileptiform (EEG) recording analysis, and can greatly improve the results of detection and classification of seizures in rodents, thus providing an extremely powerful tool in epilepsy research. This technology will also improve the quality and alleviate the burden of observing rodents' seizures and achieve more objective and consistent analysis. The technology will also contribute to homeland security for chemical defense. For this purpose, this project will include studies in the areas of behavioral research, epilepsy and seizure observation and analysis, computer algorithm design, as well as complete system integration. We will make use of the technologies for digital video processing and analysis that we have developed with past DARPA projects and our current NIMH and NIDA projects."
Multi-Resolution Representations and Simulation of Large Terrain Models,N61339-05-C-0145,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,2,730000.00,"COLLIDE, INC.",104 Orchard Lane,,Carrboro,NC,27510,Yes,No,No,Ming C. Lin,President,9199420356,the_collide@yahoo.com,Dinesh Manocha,V. President,9199420356,the_collide@yahoo.com,"We propose to develop multiresolution representations and algorithms for synthetic terrain environments. They will be used for representing large terrain models as well dynamic and atmospheric simulations. Our ultimate goal is to increase the validity of the simulation by incorporating the multiple models at varying resolutions. We will use the OneSAF simulation Product Line Architecture Framework (PLAF) as a reference, and evaluate the use of static and dynamically generated multiresolution models within that framework. As part of Phase I, we developed multiresolution representations of terrain models using subdivision surfaces and also developed algorithms to generate static and dynamic levels-of-detail of terrain models. During Phase II, we would continue development of novel multiresolution representations and simulation algorithms for large terrains that consist of tens of millions of triangles. We would also focus on techniques to interactively visualize these models. Finally, we would use multiresolution representations and algorithms to speed-up LOS (line-of-sight) and collision detection queries on large terrains."
A New Class of Water Soluble Cyanine Dyes,2R44CA093099-02A2,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,1130564.00,"COMBINIX, INC.","COMBINIX, INC.","2580 Wyandotte St., Suite F",MOUNTAIN VIEW,CA,94043,Yes,No,No,Nicholas Cairns,,6509690718,NICK2@COMBINIX.COM,Nicholas Cairns,,6505770718,Nick@combinix.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Long wavelength and near infrared (NIR) dyes have been shown to act as excellent reporter components in targeting molecular probes and tracers. Many of the currently available fluorescent dyes and probes have undesirable properties such as relatively high non-specific protein binding and a tendency to aggregate and are prohibitively expensive due in part to unoptimized synthetic methods. The main focus of this work is to discover novel, water soluble, long wavelength near-infrared cyanine dyes that are designed for use in high throughput screening, imaging and other applicable techniques such as immunofluorescence microscopy, fluorescence resonance energy transfer and fluorescence activated cell sorting and counting. Novel synthetic solution and solid phase chemistry pathways will be developed that will allow gram-scale synthesis of the dyes in high purity and will result in better products that will be more widely available at lower cost to the research and scientific community. There are 10 specific aims: (1) To Prepare a Combinatorial Chemistry Library of 120 New Benzocrown-ether Long Wavelength Cyanine Dyes Using the Synthetic Methodologies Developed in Phase I. (2) To Prepare a Combinatorial Chemistry Library of 180 New Polyethylene Glycol Long Wavelength Cyanine Dyes Using the Synthetic Methodologies Developed in Phase I. (3) Purification and Characterization of the New Dyes. (4) Dye Stability and Solubility Studies. (5) Non-Specific Binding Studies. (6) Scale up Synthesis of 15 Selected Cyanine Dyes. (7) Fluorescence Polarization (FP) Studies. (8) To Assess the Performance of the New Dyes in Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) Studies. (9) Immunohistochemical Studies with the New Dyes. (10) Synthesis of Alternate Reactive Handles."
Novel Alkylglycosides with Anti-Diabetic Activity,1R43DK067732-01A2,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,276681.00,"COMBINIX, INC.","COMBINIX, INC.","2580 Wyandotte St., Suite F",MOUNTAIN VIEW,CA,94043,Yes,No,No,Nicholas Cairns,,6509690718,NICK@COMBINIX.COM,Nicholas Cairns,,6505770718,Nick@combinix.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Glycogen metabolism and its regulation are abnormal in liver and muscle in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Liver glycogen metabolism is particularly important to maintaining blood glucose homeostasis through regulating the uptake and release of glucose and provides an attractive target for the action of antidiabetic drugs which until recently has not been fully exploited. The principal objective of this proposal is to design, synthesize and purify a series of novel alkylmaltosides and to test these compounds in vitro and in vivo for their ability to serve as artificial primers for glycogen synthesis that can increase glucose disposal into liver glycogen and thereby lower blood glucose levels.
The ability of the O-alkylmaltosides to serve as acceptors for glucose transfer by the glycogen biosynthetic enzymes glycogenin and glycogen synthase will be determined in soluble and particulate fractions of mouse liver in vitro. Those compounds with the most activity as substrates for these enzymes will be converted to S-alkylmaltosides which will also be tested in vitro as glucose acceptor substrates for the glycogen biosynthetic enzymes. The most active 0- and/or S-alkylmaltosides in the in vitro enzymatic screening procedure will be tested orally in vivo in the obese-hyperglycemic (ob/ob) mouse model of type 2 diabetes for their ability to lower blood glucose levels and improve glucose tolerance in these animals.
There are four specific aims in this phase I proposal:
1. Design and Synthesis of a Series of Novel Alkylmaltosides
2. Purification and Characterization of the Alkylmaltosides
3. Testing of the Alkylmaltosides as Substrates for the Glycogen Biosynthetic Enzymes
4. Determine the Effects of the Most Active O- and/or S-Alkylmaltosides on Blood Glucose and Glucose tolerance in the ob/ob Mouse Model."
Online Training for a New Parent-Child Assessment Tool,1R43HD048135-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,100684.00,COMFORT CONSULTS,P.O. BOX 82,1383 CREEK ROAD,CHEYNEY,PA,19319,Yes,No,No,,,6104551463,,Marilee Comfort,,6104551463,COMFORTCONSULTS@YAHOO.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Though quality parenting is widely recognized as key to children's healthy development, no observational assessment instrument has gained wide acceptance by family service providers. In fact many family service programs have long sought a practical & clinically relevant tool. This project aims to field test the Keys to Interactive Parenting Scale (KIPS), a newly developed practical parent-child interaction assessment tool specifically designed for use by providers who serve families with young children. KIPS adapts some items from a proven parent-child interaction research scale, and the development of additional items was guided by current research review and provider input. Preliminary studies suggest that KIPS offers a reliable, valid, and clinically relevant assessment of caregiver behavior. With a practical tool to assess parent-child interaction, providers can identify parenting strengths and needs, make informed interventions, monitor family progress and evaluate program outcomes. The Specific Aims of this project are to: 1) Train family service providers to administer KIPS reliably; 2) Field test the newly developed KIPS with providers in family service settings; 3) Assess utility and practicality of KIPS; 4) Assess reliability of KIPS administered in field, and 5) Refine the KIPS training process. Twenty family service providers and 100 families will be recruited to assess the utility and practicality of the KIPS prototype through provider surveys and focus groups. To assess field reliability, we will compare the scoring between providers and experts. In Phase II, we aim to develop an online training system. The combination of a practical and clinically useful instrument coupled with an online training can promote wide dissemination of KIPS at an acceptable cost. With a practical parent-child assessment tool, providers can build responsive parenting behaviors, prevent negative downward spirals, and promote perpetuating cycles of healthy parent-child interaction."
FalconSat-3 EMC Boom Deployment and Packaging Optimization,FA9453-05-C-0050,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,1501563.00,"Composite Technology Development, Inc.",2600 Campus Drive,Suite D,Lafayette,CO,80026-3359,Yes,No,No,Naseem A. Munshi,President,3036640394,naseem@ctd-materials.com,Mark Lake,Chief Engineer,3036640394,mark@ctd-materials.com,"In Phase II, CTD will continue to develop and scale-up key TEMBOr Elastic Memory Composite materials and fabrication technologies developed in the FalconSat-3 boom Phase I program, including laminate fabrication, embedded heater design, and packaging technologies, for application to future AFRL missions, including PowerSail."
TEMBOr EMC Pultruded Longerons for Furlable Truss Booms,FA9453-05-C-0025,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,889780.00,"Composite Technology Development, Inc.",2600 Campus Drive,Suite D,Lafayette,CO,80026-3359,Yes,No,No,Naseem A. Munshi,President,3036640394,naseem@ctd-materials.com,Mark Lake,Chief Engineer,3036640394,mark@ctd-materials.com,"In Phase II program, Composite Technology Development, Inc. proposes to develop TEMBOr Elastic Memory Composite (EMC) structural elements, such as longerons, battens, and fittings, for next-generation deployable spacecraft structures. CTD will define advanced EMC deployable boom concepts, derive material performance requirements, develop materials and evaluate their performance."
TEMBOr EMC Deployable Components for the PowerSail Solar Array,FA9453-05-C-0049,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,1499158.00,"Composite Technology Development, Inc.",2600 Campus Drive,Suite D,Lafayette,CO,80026-3359,Yes,No,No,Naseem A. Munshi,President,3036640394,naseem@ctd-materials.com,Mark Lake,Chief Engineer,3036640394,mark@ctd-materials.com,"In Phase II, Composite Technology Development, Inc. proposes to develop and validate innovative designs for Elastic Memory Composite (EMC) components and the array structural system of the 2008 PowerSail technology flight demonstration mission. This program will provide a significant demonstration of the performance of EMC materials and structures in a large deployable spacecraft system."
Shape Recovery Polymer Nanocomposites,FA8650-05-C-5008,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,725620.00,"Composite Technology Development, Inc.",2600 Campus Drive,Suite D,Lafayette,CO,80026-3359,Yes,No,No,Naseem Munshi,President,3036640394,naseem@ctd-materials.com,Steven Arzberger,Senior Chemist,3036640394,steven@ctd-materials.com,"The primary focus of the proposed Phase II effort is to further understand the BiPolymericT phenomenon, thus enabling increased deployment capabilities, and the engineering of BiPolymericT solid-state actuators and mechanisms suitable for practical use. The proposed effort includes material development focused on enhancing the BiPolymericT effect through the incorporation of nano-reinforcements. The Phase II program also includes the design, fabrication and testing of prototype BiPolymericT devices to explore functional limits, characterize performance, and validate engineering models and design methods."
Multi-continuum Analysis Code for EMC Materials,FA9453-05-C-0024,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,890077.00,"Composite Technology Development, Inc.",2600 Campus Drive,Suite D,Lafayette,CO,80026-3359,Yes,No,No,Naseem A. Munshi,President,3036640394,naseem@ctd-materials.com,Mark Lake,Chief Engineer,3036640394,mark@ctd-materials.com,"In Phase II, CTD proposes to expand the current ability of Multi-Continuum Theory, an innovative approach for modeling the nonlinear constitutive and failure behavior of Elastic Memory Composite (EMC) materials, to predict key EMC material behaviors, such as fiber microbuckling, deployment energy, and failure modes. The analystical results will be validated through an extensive material testing program."
Downhole Heater Cables for Oil Shale Recovery,DE-FG02-05ER84198,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,99939.00,"Composite Technology Development, Inc.",2600 Campus Drive,Suite D,Lafayette,CO,80026-3359,Yes,No,No,Naseem A. Munshi,Dr.,3036640394,naseem@ctd-materials.com,Matthew W. Hooker,Dr.,3036640394,matt@ctd-materials.com,"78469S Downhole heaters, capable of long-term 900┐C operation, are needed to assist in oil shale recovery. Currently available mineral-insulated (MI) cables are not capable of surviving the temperature or downhole environmental conditions encountered in this application. Additionally, the insulation must exhibit good electrical properties and resistance to the humidity encountered in downhole environments. The composite insulation process must also be scalable to wrap conductor lengths on the order of 2,000 to 5,000 feet. This project will fabricate prototype heater cables with a high-temeprature composite insulation system for oil shale recovery applications. In Phase I, heater cables up to 6 feet in length with composite insulation materials will be designed, fabricated, and tested using parameters that simulate the thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties required for this application. Critical manufacturing parameters will be identified and optimized. The Phase II will continue the development of the composite insulation materials and scale up the process to produce longer lengths. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: The new heater cables should be (1) capable of extended operation at elevated temperatures, (2) able to withstand the downhole environmental conditions, and (3) produced using a process that is scalable to meet end-user production requirements. They should serve as an enabling technology for the economically viable recovery of oil from shale deposits. It is estimated that the United States possesses approximately two-thirds of the world┐s oil shale deposits."
New Highly Radiation-Resistant Insulation Process for High Field Accelerator Magnets,DE-FG02-05ER84351,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,99990.00,"Composite Technology Development, Inc.",2600 Campus Drive,Suite D,Lafayette,CO,80026-3359,Yes,No,No,Naseem A. Munshi,Dr.,3036640394,naseem@ctd-materials.com,Paul E. Fabian,Mr.,3036640394,paul@ctd-materials.com,"78092S High performance, wind-before-react magnet insulation systems, which enable the use of thinner insulation for close packing of the conductor and can withstand high radiation loads, are needed for future accelerator magnets such as the Large Hadron Collider project. However, the most radiation-resistant ceramic insulation systems currently available for use as wind-and-react insulation have been developed in tape form, which causes increased thickness buildup within the insulation layer. This limitation forces the designer to choose between lower radiation performance or less conductor, leading to lower field magnets. Braided ceramic-based prepreg insulation, stable at the superconductor processing temperatures, would eliminate this problem. Therefore, this project will develop an entirely new insulation process, in which a ceramic fiber is braided directly onto the superconducting cable and then pre-impregnated with a ceramic matrix, forming a radiation resistant insulation capable of being co-processed with Nb3Sn superconductor. When combined with an organic cyanate ester resin, this insulation system would result the most radiation resistant insulating materials currently available in a form that would allow a very thin insulation layer and enable close conductor packing. Phase I will develop and evaluate a pre-impregnated ceramic sleeve braided directly onto the superconductor, forming a high strength ceramic insulation. Along with the braiding process, a ceramic sizing will be developed that can be applied to the ceramic fiber thereby eliminating the organic sizing that must be burned off during the superconductor heat treatment. A process to enable the pre-impregnation of a ceramic matrix onto the braided superconductor will also be developed. The ceramic insulation, combined with a cyanate ester resin, will be evaluated for use and compatibility in high field accelerator magnets through the fabrication and mechanical testing of conductor/insulation stack specimens. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The high temperature stability and radiation resistance of a thin ceramic insulation should eliminate complex coil fabrication steps, thus lowering fabrication costs and allowing higher operating fields. Applications such as high field magnets, fusion magnets, and medical Magnetic Resonance Imaging instruments would become more viable with improved magnet processing, higher strength, and improved reliability. Higher efficiency transformers that are resistant to heat damage would also become viable."
Innovative Nanoparticle Insulation Systems for Fusion Magnets,DE-FG02-05ER84182,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,99985.00,"Composite Technology Development, Inc.",2600 Campus Drive,Suite D,Lafayette,CO,80026-3359,Yes,No,No,Naseem A. Munshi,Dr.,3036640394,naseem@ctd-materials.com,Paul E. Fabian,Mr.,3036640394,paul@ctd-materials.com,"78759S Fusion magnets require insulation materials that possess high shear strength, excellent electrical insulation characteristics, and radiation resistance. Improvements in insulation technology can contribute to improved magnet performance, and will enable scientists and engineers to overcome current magnet design limitations. To improve the shear strength of composite insulation materials, this project will incorporate nanoscale reinforcements into radiation-resistant organic resins, then fabricate and test composites using these nano-reinforced polymers. The mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of the various combinations of materials will be characterized for use in fusion applications. Phase I will improve the properties of polymer-matrix composite insulation materials by incorporating nano-reinforcements into the polymer matrix. Phase II will include additional process development, measurement of the radiation-resistance, and the scale-up of these processes for use in fusion magnet applications. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The technology should not only increase the shear strength of the composite insulation system, but also improve radiation resistance and other material properties. In addition to supporting DOE fusion magnet programs, the technology also should have application in: (1) MRI instruments, electric motors, transformers, and conventional magnets; (2) nano-reinforced resins and adhesives with increased strength and thermal conductivity; (3) novel materials with improved strength and toughness for structural applications; and (4) strong, lightweight components for improved fuel efficiency in automobiles and aircraft."
Multi-Continuum Theory for Linerless Composite Tank Design,W9113M-05-C-0151,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,2,749916.00,"Composite Technology Development, Inc.",2600 Campus Drive,Suite D,Lafayette,CO,80026-3359,Yes,No,No,Naseem A. Munshi,President,3036640394,naseem@ctd-materials.com,Kaushik Mallick,Sr. Program Manager,3036640394,kaushik@ctd-materials.com,The proposed Phase II program will continue to develop and refine the Multicontinuum Theory (MCT)-based analytical approach for predicting progressive microcracking damage and permeability in linerless composite tanks. The permeability of representative subscale components will be measured to validate the analytical approach. The MCT approach will then be used to design a prototype linerless composite tank. Several tanks will be fabricated and tested to verify that they meet key ABL requirements.
"Innovative, Low Cost, Radiation-Resistant Fusion Magnet Insulation",DE-FG02-04ER83926,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,2,652500.00,"Composite Technology Development, Inc.",2600 Campus Drive,Suite D,Lafayette,CO,80026-3359,Yes,No,No,Naseem A. Munshi,Dr.,3036640394,naseem@ctd-materials.com,Matthew W. Hooker,Dr.,3036640394,matt@ctd-materials.com,"75747S Newly designed and proposed fusion magnet systems will require electrical insulation capable of withstanding high temperatures and high radiation doses. The lack of cost-effective, radiation-resistant insulation systems is compromising the design and operation of these devices. Therefore, this project will develop and formulate low-cost organic resins for use in the production of fusion magnet insulation by vacuum pressure impregnation (VPI). The new materials promise to be much less expensive than current insulation materials, while providing the necessary mechanical, electrical, and thermal performance. In Phase I, new low-cost organic resin formulations were developed and the materials were used to fabricate fiber-reinforced insulation materials. The materials displayed excellent high-temperature strength and withstood thermal cycling from 76 K to 373 K with minimal change in mechanical or electrical performance. Phase II will optimize the resin formulation, scale up the synthesis process, fabricate and characterize fiber-reinforced insulation materials, and determine the radiation resistance of these new resin materials. In addition, a subscale magnet assembly will be fabricated and tested to demonstrate the use of these new insulation materials in a representative, application-specific configuration. Commercial Applications And Other Benefits as described by the awardee: New, low cost, VPI-compatible insulation systems, capable of withstanding exposure to high temperatures and having improved radiation resistance and mechanical and electrical properties, should directly affect the viability and operation of new fusion magnet designs. Lower cost insulation systems, with equal to or greater properties than current systems, should significantly reduce the material and fabrication costs of magnet systems and extend the useful lifetime of these devices."
"TEMBOr Bi-Morphing, Controllable Composite Laminates for SBR Applications",FA9453-05-M-0137,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99496.00,"Composite Technology Development, Inc.",2600 Campus Drive,Suite D,Lafayette,CO,80026-3359,Yes,No,No,Naseem A. Munshi,President,3036640394,naseem@ctd-materials.com,Marc R. Schultz,Senior Engineer,3036640394,marc@ctd-materials.com,"The proposed program will develop and demonstrate an innovative concept for achieving bi-morphing shape control in composite panels and structural elements, through the use of TEMBOr BiPolymericT actuator technology. The concept represents a novel adaptation of Elastic Memory Composite technology to the challenging application of shape control of lightweight composite structures."
Securing Data for Space Communications,NNG05CA46C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69942.00,"CompSys Technologies, Inc.",435 Creekside Drive,,Amherst,NY,14228 0211,Yes,Yes,No,Malini Sridhar,President & CEO,7165640881,malini@compsystech.com,Sumita Mishra,Principal Investigator,7165640881,mishra@compsystech.com,"NASA's vision of data exchange between space and ground nodes would involve the space network accessing public infrastructure such as the internet. Hence, advanced security measures have to be developed to ensure information integrity and authentication.The proposed innovations in this work are 1) A hierachical security model, where each level has a different security requirement and varying capabilities (such as power and ad hoc measure), 2) An adaptive key management protocol suite that would cater to the security needs of the network at the various levels, and 3) A novel key management scheme that uses threshold cryptography and group key management concepts.The significance of our approach is to provide a key management solution that provides strong authentication and data integrity, a solution that is flexible and can be adapted according to different security requirements and capabilities of the network and a scheme that considers the performance capabilities of the participating nodes and provides solutions accordingly."
Volume Conduction Invasive Medical Data Communication System,W81XWH-05-C-0047,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119993.00,"COMPUTATIONAL DIAGNOSTICS, INC.",5001 Baum Blvd. Suite 426,,Pittsburgh,PA,15213,Yes,No,No,Sharon Enos,President,4126819990,enos@cdi.com,Brian D. Errigo,Director of Marketing,4126819990,errigo@cdi.com,"The recent war on terrorism and international peace-keeping missions have clearly shown the increase of threats from non-traditional enemies. Protecting soldiers from immediate casualties and knowing their physiological status represent an important problem in the battlefield of the future. One powerful solution to this problem is to implant, using advanced minimally invasive techniques, a millimeter or sub-millimeter size, but highly intelligent device within the body of soldiers for physiological monitoring, threat alert, internal stimulation, and drug-delivery. Resent development in sub-micron electronics, nanotechnology, and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) have provided powerful tools for constructing devices of this type. However, one fundamental problem has not yet been solved: how do these devices communicate with computers outside the human body? Running wires across the skin is clearly unacceptable in the battlefield environment, wireless radio frequency (RF) connection through the body has a number of drawbacks. The primary goal of this research is to develop a communication and power delivery channel capable of passing information between the inside and the outside of the human body. This channel will be constructed within a prototype miniature implantable device and will be thoroughly tested to demonstrate its feasibility."
Biomedical Ontology and Tools for Database Curation,1R43HG003600-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,99250.00,"Converspeech, LLC",60 Kirby Place,,Palo Alto,CA,94301,Yes,No,No,Colleen Crangle,,6503229257,CRANGLE@CONVERSPEECH.COM,Colleen E. Crangle,,6503229257,crangle@converspeech.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal describes a new tool for text data mining-a biomedical language ontology and integrated natural-language-processing methods. Our long-term goal is to provide resources for biomedical knowledge discovery from text. Our immediate goal is to provide a knowledge discovery tool for the curation of organism databases such as the Genome Database (SGD). The proposed research not only serves the research needs of the SGD community, it also helps the broader biomedical community exploit the strengths of the comparative approach to biological research. The hypothesis of this proposal is that knowledge discovery from biomedical text requires a knowledge base that integrates both genomic and linguistic information. This hypothesis is based on two observations: (a) the language of biomedicine, like all natural language, is complex in structure and morphology (the basic units of meaning) and poses problems of synonymy (several terms having the same meaning), polysemy (a term having more than one meaning), hypernymy (one term being more general than another), hyponymy (one term being more specific than another), denotation (what a term refers to in contrast to what it means), and denotation and description (different ways of referring to the same thing); and (b) important biomedical knowledge sources, such as the Gene Ontology (GO), are expressed in natural language. The specific aims of the proposed project are to: 1. Extend an existing biomedical language ontology to include genomic and linguistic data from SGD; 2. Use this ontology to discover, in full-text articles made available by SGD, information about the molecular function of yeast gene products that can be inferred from direct experimental assays; 3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the new tool and methods by comparing its results to those of the SGD curators for gene products that have GO functional annotations with evidence code IDA (Inferred from Direct Assay)."
WEARABLE WIRELESS PDA PERIPHERAL FOR RESEARCH,N43DA577543,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,99965.00,"CREATIVE ACTION, LLC",441 Wolf Ledges,,AKRON,OH,44311-,Yes,No,No,Anthony Sterns,,3308679978,Drtone@gwis.com,Anthony Sterns,,,DA,N/A
SBIR Phase I: SEAMLESS - Systematic Electronic Assessment Management Leading to Effective Significant Solutions,0441487,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,CTS,POB 14,,Bethania,NC,27010,Yes,No,No,Benjamin R. Martin,Mr,3364147104,bmartin@carolinatechnicalsolutions.com,Benjamin R. Martin,Mr,3364147104,bmartin@carolinatechnicalsolutions.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a tool to help engineering faculty design and administer assessments of engineering education. The tool will also assist in the management of assessment data to support instructional decisions for individual students, decisions on courses and programs, and accreditation decisions through the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The assembled team for this project includes experts in assessment and software commercialization who will conduct the research necessary to determine the technical and commercial feasibility of the technology. The combination of expertise in making assessment-based decisions with experienced computer programming talent produces a team that has the experience and resources necessary to develop an expert system. The broader impacts of this project include the following: 1) by making assessment more manageable, better assessment efforts will be undertaken; 2) with better assessment of student learning, the quality of the learning experiences should improve; 3) as the quality of learning experiences improves in engineering education, so too should the abilities of engineering graduates; and 4) as other disciplines witness the successes associated with this innovative educational tool, it can serve as a model for similar efforts in other disciplines. This tool will facilitate better program planning by assisting with the management of critical data, making evident to programs the types of data that might be helpful and retrieving data for internal and external use."
Priority/Preemptive Capability within IP (SIP QoS in GIG-ES),FA8750-05-C-0157,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99878.00,"DATALINE, INC.",2551 Eltham Avenue,Suite O,Norfolk,VA,23513,Yes,Yes,No,David A. Glovier,CTO,7578580600,dave.glovier@dataline.com,Charles Brewton,Principle Systems Architect,7578580600,chuck.brewton@dataline.com,"In this proposal, our team (Dataline and Covergence in subcontract) proposes to develop a Policy and Security Manager that provides Quality-of-Service (QoS) aware mechanisms to assure TCP/IP communications in tactical networks. Our approach is based on the SIP protocol, the IETF standard for monitoring, controlling, and securing real-time collaboration (RTC) applications such as VoIP, Chat, and Video Conferencing. Our approach includes significant innovations that address the need for assured delivery and the low tolerance for delay (latency), delay variation (jitter) and packet loss of real-time applications in tactical networks. These include policy management and control across all SIP devices for: QoS Operations and Management including layer 2/layer 3 QoS marking, QoS based routing, bandwidth policing & rate limits, call admission control, policy based session routing, shortest path media routing, and SLA monitoring and verification; Application Level Security including cryptographic authentication, identity-based access control, signaling and media encryption, protocol validation, PKI integration, and denial of service (DOS) prevention; and Interoperability, including near-end firewall traversal, far-end firewall traversal, and protocol normalization. We demonstrate the efficacy of our approach by building a testbed that leverages our extensive experience in, mixed-bandwidth, tactical networks for real-time collaboration."
Bridging The Gap: A Relationship Approach To Asthma Care,2R44HL070377-02A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,891875.00,"DAWKINS PRODUCTIONS, INC.","DAWKINS PRODUCTIONS, INC.",128 WASHINGTON AVE,HASTINGS-ON-HUDSON,NY,10706 2206,Yes,No,No,Lee Dawkins,,9144783890,LEE@DAWKINS.TV,Kevin F. Dawkins,,9144783890,KEVIN@DAWKINS.TV,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Socio-economic factors can be barriers to effective asthma care for vulnerable populations living in urban areas. We hypothesize that a patient care approach called Relationship Centered Care has the potential to reduce the impact of those barriers. Relationship Centered Care encourages providers to develop meaningful and reciprocal interactions with patients, colleagues and the community at large. Phase I funding for this project supported the collection of qualitative data collected from community based health professionals and patients with asthma living in East Harlem, NY, an area with perhaps the highest asthma rates in the country. Phase I also saw the production of a sample version of Bridging the Gap: A Relationship Approach to Asthma Care (video and user's workbook) which was evaluated by community health providers and experts in Relationship Centered Care. The outcome of those efforts was a strong endorsement for the program by health professionals, patients and experts. This Phase II application proposes the production of a four-part educational video based program that will describe and demonstrate the application of Relationship Centered Care for community health professionals who serve people with asthma in socially disadvantaged urban areas. The target audience of health professionals includes physicians, nurses, medical assistants, social workers and other clinic staff members who interact with patients such as receptionists, admitting clerks, and appointment schedulers. Health care research has shown that relationships based on good communication can enhance patient levels of trust, satisfaction, adherence to treatment and health status. But few studies have assessed the effects of communication training on health professionals. Even fewer have assessed the effects of communication training on non-physician health professionals. This program will teach skills that enhance communications and promote relationship building among all the staff members who interact with asthma patients in community clinics. Considering that the burden of asthma is highest among disadvantaged minority populations, the ability to build relationships and communicate in a culturally competent ways is critical. The effectiveness of the Bridging the Gap program will be empirically tested in Phase II. If this intervention is shown to facilitate health professionals' relationships with patients, colleagues and the community, then the potential exists for increasing patient satisfaction and self-management skills, reducing the frequency of acute episodes of asthma and the associated consumption of health care resources."
Living With Borderline Personality Disorder,1R43MH069050-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,130444.00,"DAWKINS PRODUCTIONS, INC.","DAWKINS PRODUCTIONS, INC.",128 WASHINGTON AVE,HASTINGS-ON-HUDSON,NY,10706 2206,Yes,No,No,Lee Dawkins,,9144783890,LEE@DAWKINS.TV,Kevin F. Dawkins,,9144783890,KEVIN@DAWKINS.TV,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase I application proposes to test the feasibility of producing an educational video series, Living with Borderline Personality Disorder, in support of family members who have a relative diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, or BPD.
A diagnosis of BPD in one person impacts the entire family as well. Disruption of family, work, personal life and the burden of worrying about the well-being of the person with BPD are a few of many difficult issues for family members.
The Living with Borderline Personality Disorder video series is intended to provide family members with the most current and accurate information on the nature of BPD and how it is treated. The series will also provide examples of how some families have learned to cope with this complex and confusing mental illness. Our working hypothesis is that family members who view the Living with Borderline Personality Disorder video series will experience: (1) an increase in knowledge about BPD, (2) a reduction in subjective burden, and (3) a greater sense of hopefulness about their ability to cope with BPD.
Family support programs have become important components in the outcome of a number of psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia, mood disorders and anxiety disorders, but there are few similar programs currently available for family members dealing with BPD. Using the existing technology of videotape to create an educational program that will inform family members about BPD and reduce the negative impact it has on families addresses an important and often overlooked public health problem in an innovative way."
Improving Health and Safety Training via e-Learning,1R43ES012778-01A2,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,113656.00,DCM ASSOCIATES,DCM ASSOCIATES,212 CEDAR DR,MT. PLEASANT,MI,48858,Yes,No,No,Deborah Marmarelli,,9897734959,DMARMARELLI@MSN.COM,Deborah Marmarelli,,9897734959,DMARMARELLI@DCMA-US.COM,"Recent federal initiatives highlight the critical relationship between workforce skills and global
competitiveness. The study Manufacturing in America (Dept. of Commerce 2004) and Encouraging Innovation in Manufacturing (Executive Order-13329 2004) both cite the need for research and development that improves workforce skills and protection, while Commerce reports that manufacturers find regulatory compliance training to be a heavy financial burden.
Hypothesis: Online e-Learning can cut costs and improve mandated workforce health and safety training by increasing individualization, using the web to simplify dissemination, and shortening time-to-competence.
The 10 million people in the US who are federally mandated to receive workplace health and safety training could be the beneficiaries of such training. Communities, institutions, and corporations responsible for delivering this yearly training could save $1.4 billion per year in the US and ensure valid, up-to-date training, available anytime, anywhere.
Technological innovation will provide: (1) a curriculum of up-to-date, interactive courses that meets diverse needs, (2) a protocol that matches competency needs to course content, (3) analysis of the efficacy of e-Learning for this population, (4) a customization database that can add state, local, and institution specific requirements to the generic courses.
Phase I will develop and implement a prototype e-Learning course, ChemSafety Training, and supporting systems. Efficacy and savings will be measured in a controlled study. Phase II will broaden the controlled study in number and occupation and develop the curriculum. Phase III will direct-market the courses to 4000 universities and channel-market to manufacturing. Courses can be installed on institutions' Learning Management Systems or can be taken on a fee-per use basis, via the DCM Associates' website."
Aeropropulsion and Power Technology,FA8650-05-M-2603,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,98538.00,"DEICON, INC.",919 Aaron Nutt Rd.,,Dayton,OH,45458 5458,Yes,No,No,Ferdous Kashani,President,9378854134,fkashani@deicon.com,Ali Mazdeh,Project Engineer,9378854134,amazdeh@deicon.com,We propose the development of passive radiators to be used for adding low-frequency (
Packaging and Marketing of Domestic Vegetable Soybean,2005-33610-15481,USDA,USDA,SBIR,2005,1,78188.00,"Delight Foods, Inc.",1317 Copeland Oak Dr.,,Morrisville,NC,27560,Yes,No,No,Lila Y. Chung,,9194681077,delight@delightsoy.com,Lila Y. Chung,,9194681077,delight@delightsoy.com,"Marketing and packaging are key steps in introducing a new product to consumers. Delight Foods has done four years of research into the Domestic Production of Vegetable Soybeans in partnership with crop scientists, food scientists and a cooperative of farmers. Now, this team will move into commercialization. This research will develop a powerful brand platform, including the story about North Carolina small farmers, for promoting domestically grown vegetable soybeans. The research will inform efforts to quantify and develop an innovative packaging strategies that effectively communicate the brand platform to consumers, and will be leveraged for further development of the brand platform. This research aims: (1) To conduct qualitative consumer tests of the overall unique selling proposition and brand platform for Delight Soy's vegetable soybeans. (2) To conduct qualitative consumer tests of specific branding elements, including, but not restricted to, the image, the logo, the story on the package, the nutritional information, the health benefits, and the value proposition."
Hybrid Propulsion Systems for Undersea Weapons,N00014-05-M-0268,DOD,NAVY,STTR,2005,1,69834.00,"DESIGN BY ANALYSIS, INC.",136 Main Street,Suite 401,New Britain,CT,06051,Yes,No,No,Len Discenza,President,8602249901,ldiscenza@dbaworks.com,Mehdi Golafshani,VP-Operations,8602249901,mgolafshani@dbaworks.com,"In response the U.S. Navy's desire to continuously improve its undersea weapons capabilities, Design By Analysis, Inc. of New Britain, Connecticut in conjunction with the University of Connecticut's Global Fuel Cell Center propose an auxiliary electrochemical power system for use in undersea weapon systems. This novel concept modifies an existing thermally propelled torpedo to include Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells in order to generate, efficient and cool electric power used to propel the torpedo silently during its low power mode of operation. This hybrid thermally and electrically propelled device, coined the PEM Reformer-Free Electrochemical Cell Torpedo (PERFECTT), promises a new generation of undersea weaponry with increased stealth search range, higher reliability, easier maintenance than current closed system thermal engine torpedoes. Research activities will also include selecting an appropriate means of supplying fuel to the cell stack. The two technologies to be investigated include a HYDROX system, and a high pressure hydrogen storage tank. Although combining the two technologies in an integrated system poses a high technical risk, the PERFECTT design will trigger a quantum leap in both undersea weapons capability as well as successful commercialization."
Information Delivery and Display for Shared Awareness in the Net Centric Battlespace,W31P4Q-06-C-0041,DOD,DARPA,SBIR,2005,1,98900.00,"Design Interactive, Inc.","1221 E. Broadway, Suite 110",,Oviedo,FL,32765-9135,Yes,Yes,No,John Stanney,Controller,4077399892,john@designinteractive.net,Kelly Hale,"Director, HSI",4077399892,kelly@designinteractive.net,"The opportunity exists to develop an innovative information delivery solution that will enhance warfighter performance in the context of the ""Net Centric Battlespace"" and take advantage of developing revolutionary command, control, and communications capabilities. The current effort proposes inserting humans and machines into a closed loop system, where information display is dynamically adjusted based on real-time EEG recordings to optimize individual and shared SA and related decision-making processes within a command center team, which mirrors the approach taken by the Augmented Cognition efforts driven by DARPA in capturing real-time brain signatures to drive information display adaptation. This proposed effort is unique in that (1) the specific EEG signatures to be developed under this effort aim to measure individual and shared situation awareness and (2) substantial effort will be devoted to identifying truly innovative principle-driven multimodal information display strategies that support effective communication and decision-making. We see the true innovation of this effort as the proposed adaptive, configurable, and considerate information display strategies that should greatly enhance individual and team decision-making through enhanced shared SA and optimal communication of critical information in appropriate modalities across team members. The end goal is to measurably improve the speed and quality of both individual and group communication and decision-making."
Targeted Antibody Microarrays:Tool for Toxicoproteomics,2R44ES013805-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,737901.00,"DETROIT R & D, INC.","2727 SECOND AVE., SUITE 4113",,DETROIT,MI,48201-,Yes,No,No,Hyesook Kim,,2485393236,HSKIM@DETROITRANDD.COM,Hyesook S. Kim,,3139611606,HSKIM@DETROITRANDD.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Gene expression has been analyzed by throughput DMA microarrays which simultaneously monitor the expression of thousands of genes. However, mRNA expression of a gene may not correlate with protein expression because of the differences in rates of mRNA translation/degradation and post-translational modification. Mass spectrometry with/without prior separation of proteins has been developed but the burden of the experiment is on the user.
During Phase I, we successfully developed and commercialized rat drug-metabolizing enzyme antibody microarrays containing 76 antibodies for cytochromes P450 and co-enzymes, phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes, apoptosis-related proteins, house-keeping proteins and Flag internal control protein.
During Phase II, we will (1) further improve rat polyacrylamide-based hydrogel arrays, (2) improve and develop additional arrays with chips coated with various surface materials, (3) develop and explore signal enhancing methods, (4) develop mouse drug-metabolizing enzyme antibody microarrays, (5) develop human drug-metabolizing enzyme antibody microarrays and (6) explore utility of antibody arrays and discover markers for 5 classes of toxicants.
The targeted arrays produced with form-specific antibodies of closely related proteins involved with drug and environmental toxicant metabolism will be an invaluable tool for toxicoproteomics."
Targeted Antibody Microarrays:Tool for Toxicoproteomics,2R44ES013805-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,0.00,"DETROIT R & D, INC.","2727 SECOND AVE., SUITE 4113",,DETROIT,MI,48201-,Yes,No,No,Hyesook Kim,,2485393236,HSKIM@DETROITRANDD.COM,Hyesook S. Kim,,3139611606,HSKIM@DETROITRANDD.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Gene expression has been analyzed by throughput DMA microarrays which simultaneously monitor the expression of thousands of genes. However, mRNA expression of a gene may not correlate with protein expression because of the differences in rates of mRNA translation/degradation and post-translational modification. Mass spectrometry with/without prior separation of proteins has been developed but the burden of the experiment is on the user.
During Phase I, we successfully developed and commercialized rat drug-metabolizing enzyme antibody microarrays containing 76 antibodies for cytochromes P450 and co-enzymes, phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes, apoptosis-related proteins, house-keeping proteins and Flag internal control protein.
During Phase II, we will (1) further improve rat polyacrylamide-based hydrogel arrays, (2) improve and develop additional arrays with chips coated with various surface materials, (3) develop and explore signal enhancing methods, (4) develop mouse drug-metabolizing enzyme antibody microarrays, (5) develop human drug-metabolizing enzyme antibody microarrays and (6) explore utility of antibody arrays and discover markers for 5 classes of toxicants.
The targeted arrays produced with form-specific antibodies of closely related proteins involved with drug and environmental toxicant metabolism will be an invaluable tool for toxicoproteomics."
PHASE I TOPIC 196: ANTIBODY ARRAY FOR CANCER DETECTION,N43CN533006,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,99980.00,"DETROIT R & D, INC.","2727 SECOND AVE., SUITE 4113",,DETROIT,MI,48201-,Yes,No,No,Hyesook Kim,,2485393236,hskim@aol.com,Hyesook Kim,,,NCI,N/A
HCV dipstick for resource-limited blood banks,2R44HL071435-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,688744.00,"DIAGNOSTICS FOR THE REAL WORLD, LTD",840 DEL REY AVE,,SUNNYVALE,CA,94085-2919,Yes,No,No,,,4087731511,,Helen H. Lee,,4087731511,hhl207@aol.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): According to WHO statistics on blood safety, 80% of the world's population has access to 20% of the world's safe blood supply. However, more than 40% (13,000,000 units) of the blood supply in the developing world is not tested for the three major transfusion-transmissible infections: human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Transfusion of unsafe blood accounts for 8-16 million HBV infections, 2.3-4.7 million HCV infections and 80,000-160,000 HIV infections each year. If inexpensive, rapid, improved dipsticks with sensitivity comparable to EIA were developed for blood screening, it would greatly improve the safety of the blood supply in developing countries. The overall aim of the project is to develop a rapid and sensitive HCV dipstick assay designated as the HCV Reflex diagnostic. The test can be used in developed countries under circumstances where an immediate result is required. For the developing countries, we propose that this test be integrated into a Triplex test (for HBV, HIV & HCV) and used as the initial step of pre-donation screening in high prevalence countries. The associated second step is to use the HCV Reflex diagnostic test in order to identify the agent responsible for the positive Triplex test result.
The specific aims for phase II are:
1. Further test development including optimization of reagents and components, and developing a dry format system for the test.
2. Scale up of prototype dipstick production under Good Manufacturing Practice (Documentation/Validation) for development and field evaluation trials.
3. Field evaluation of the final HCV Reflex Diagnostic Test for FDA approval."
DRW HIV-Ab/HCV-Ab/HBsAg Triplex Rapid Test Submission for FDA-PMA Approval,2R44HL071373-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,843962.00,"DIAGNOSTICS FOR THE REAL WORLD, LTD",840 DEL REY AVE,,SUNNYVALE,CA,94085-2919,Yes,No,No,,,4087731511,,Helen H. Lee,,4087731511,hhl207@aol.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): According to WHO statistics on blood safety, 80% of the world's population has access to 20% of the world's safe blood supply. However, more than 40% (13,000,000 units) of the blood supply in the developing world is not tested for the three major transfusion-transmissible infections: human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Transfusion of unsafe blood accounts for 8-16 million HBV infections, 2.3-4.7 million HCV infections and 80,000-160,000 HIV infections each year. If inexpensive, rapid, improved dipsticks with sensitivity comparable to EIA were developed for blood screening, it would greatly improve the safety of the blood supply in developing countries. The overall aim of the project is to develop a rapid and sensitive Triplex (for HBV, HIV & HCV) dipstick assay designated as the Triplex Reflex diagnostic. For the developing countries, we propose that this test be used as the initial step of pre-donation screening in high prevalence countries. The associated second step is to use the HIV, HBV and HCV Reflex diagnostic tests in order to identify the agent responsible for the positive Triplex test result.
The specific aims for phase II are:
1. Integrate 3 tests HBV, HCV and HIV into one test - Triplex.
2. Further test development including optimization of reagents and components, and developing a dry format system for the test.
3. Scale up of prototype dipstick production under Good Manufacturing Practice (Documentation/Validation) for development and field evaluation trials.
4. Field evaluation of the final Triplex screening Test."
Rotating Intershaft Brush Seals For Sealing Between Two Rotating Shafts,FA8650-05-C-2530,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,747269.00,"DIVERSITECH, INC.",110 Boggs Lane,Suite 230,Cincinnati,OH,45246,Yes,Yes,No,James Askew,PRESIDENT,5137724447,james.askew@diversitechinc.com,Gary Holloway,SENIOR ENGINEER,5137724447,gary.holloway@diversitechinc.com,"The pursuit of high Mach number flight presents several challenges to the airframe and engine design engineers. Most obvious is the resulting high temperatures encountered as the aircraft approaches Mach 3 and above. The encountered high temperatures and shaft speeds of engines require rethinking in the areas of material selections, component design and component operating life. For the engine design engineer, the challenge lies in components that make up the bearings and seals region of the aircraft engine that encounter severe operational requirements. High operating temperatures and pressures and longer cycle durations are among these. The seals, which are used to seal the bearing compartments, or sumps, from high airflow ingestion, maintain a favorable air pressure gradient, and minimize engine lubricant loss, is such a component. In the area of sump compartment sealing, one of the most difficult sealing applications is the sealing of an engine's rear sump. Normally this sump will need some method of sealing between two rotating shafts. For the sealing of sumps, between rotating shafts, in gas turbine engines, there are two technologies that have been used up to the present time. These technologies are:Carbon Seals and Labyrinth Seals. Rotating Brush Seals which seal between two rotating shafts offers another seal technology."
Nanostructured active layers for deep-green light emitting diodes (LED),W31P4Q-05-C-R112,DOD,DARPA,SBIR,2005,2,749745.00,"Dot Metrics Technologies, Inc.",9201 University City Blvd.,Grigg Bldg. Rm 235,CHARLOTTE,NC,28223-0001,Yes,No,No,Rosanna Stokes,President,7046040653,rstokes3@carolina.rr.com,Mike Ahrens,Senior Engineer,7046872727,mtahrens@dotmetricstech.com,"In phase I, Dot Metrics Technologies demonstrated the feasibility of a new method of introducing deep-green luminescent nanostructure into semiconductor materials for light-emitting device applications. The materials were used to fabricate and characterize preliminary optoelectronic device test structures. In phase II, Dot Metrics Technologies proposes to leverage these new materials and methods in a drive to market new deep-green optoelectronic light emitting devices with superior performance. Rigorous Six Sigma quality methods will be employed to optimize (1) synthesis of nanoscale materials and (2) device fabrication processes. At the end of phase 2, this will result in commercially viable nanoscale materials, and a competitive process for deep-green light emitting device fabrication."
PC Scene Generation Bridge Architectures for Streaming Balanced Computation.,W9113M-05-C-0052,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,97959.00,"DUNTI, LLC",1250 S. CAPITAL OF TEXAS HWY,,AUSTIN,TX,78746-6446,Yes,Yes,No,Rupaka Mahalingaiah,CEO,5123292100,rupaka@yahoo.com,Rupaka Mahalingaiah,CTO,5123292100,rupaka@dunti.com,"The objective of the project in this proposal is to demonstrate the need and feasibility for developing innovative switch/bridge architecture based technology that enables high-performance multiprocessors. The proposed technology will enable compute-intense applications such as real-time and near real-time scene generation over a PC component-based system. It will provide innovative solution while retaining complete compatibility with industry standard software and real-time operating systems. The solution will be transparent to Operating Systems (OS), device drivers, and protocol stacks. Appearing as a standard interconnect to the applications and OS, this breakthrough technology provides next generation interconnect performance and functionality."
Genetic tool to enhance natural product gene expression,1R43AI066814-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,94848.00,EarthGenes Pharmaceuticals,107 Cedar St,,Lexington,MA,02421 6651,Yes,No,No,Marcia Osburne,,6177265955,MOSBURNE@ACTIVIBIOTICS.COM,Ian A. Macneil,,6176987013,ian.macneil@comcast.net,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Although the vast majority of antibacterial are derived from microbes and new drugs are critically needed, many pharmaceutical companies have abandoned natural products because previous discovery paradigms seem no longer fruitful. However, because less than 2% of environmental microorganisms are cultivable by classical methods, the rest have not been screened. One method for accessing this potentially rich drug source is to shotgun clone large DNA fragments from uncultivated microbes, some of which may encode complete biosynthetic pathways, and screen them by a variety of biological and informatics-based methods, such as expressing the DNA in surrogate hosts and then screening for antibacterial activity. As different hosts provide different expression capabilities, using a variety of hosts is advantageous. We previously developed methods to create environmental DNA libraries by cloning large DNA fragments directly from soil samples into BAG vectors, then transferring them into 3 hosts: E. coli, S. lividans, and P. putida for expression and screening. We discovered a small environmental gene, rep, that significantly enhances type II PKS expression in streptomyces, thus increasing the chance of detecting low-level expression of environmental DNA. This proposal aims to further determine the scope of the ability of rep to enhance gene expression. Specifically, we will measure the expression of erythromycin (a type I PKS) and the calcium-dependent antibiotic (CDA, a NRPS) in the presence and absence of rep. To further enhance biodiversity and expression possibilities, we will also test the ability of rep to enhance expression of endogenous antibiotic clusters encoded by two marine microbes (S. arenicola and S. maritimus), and then assay the ability of rep to enhance expression of a marine cluster (enterocin) in S. lividans. Once the scope of expression enhancement effected by rep is determined, it can be inserted into selective expression hosts, possibly including a marine host, to optimize the detection of antibiotic biosynthetic genes in soil and marine environmental libraries."
Novel Process for the Management and Mitigation of Tar and Oil Byproducts from Solid Waste Gasification,EP-D-05-046,EPA,EPA,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,Emery Energy Company,157 W. Pierpont Ave.,,Salt Lake City,UT,84101,Yes,No,No,Benjamin D. Phillips,President,8103648283,bphillips@emeryenergy.com,Richard Boardman,Consulting Engineer,2085263083,rbd1@inal.gov,"A large variety of solid waste streams are available for conversiont to useful energy, including solid municipa waste (MSW), woody by-products, myriads of farm and agriculture by-products, waste tires, and low-quality fuel sources. All such feedstocks can be converted to useful clean energy using gasification technology. Keeping these materials out of a landfill is both economically and environmentally sound, especialy with the increasing costs of landfilling and more stringent solid waste disposal regulations. The gasification of coal and petroleum coke into useful energy can be done using ""entrained-flow gasification"" - a proven technology for efficient and clean conversion into ""synthesis gas"" (syngas). However, entrained-flow gasifiers are gnerally not suitalbe for smaller-scale operations or for use with coarse feedstock (i.e., MSW and biomass). Emery is developing and optimizing a gasification process that can accommodate the wide variations in fuel composition and physical characteristics. Emery's technology aims to destroy the tars and oil byproducts that are typically produced in fixed-bed and flluidized-bed gasifiers, while avoiding the higher operating costs associated with slagging gasifiers. The purpose of this Phase I SBIR grant is to demonstrate and optimize Emery's key process components for mitigating tar and oil species. A prototype device will be fabricated and tested. Testing will include parametric variation of design and operating conditions. Proof of concept and initial performance testing will tested under the SBIR Phase I award. Following successful Phase I results, the technology will be reaedy to be installed in Emery's larger existing gasifier system(s) for practical demonstraton (under Phase II) to support commercialization of the procedss and commercializaiton of Emery gasifier systems."
SBIR Phase II: Novel Radial Magnetic Field Actuator for Fully Flexible Electromechanical Valve,0522170,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,2,462429.00,"ENGINEERING MATTERS, INC.","375 Elliot Street, Suite 130K",,Newton,MA,02464,Yes,No,No,David B. Cope,Dr,6179658973,dcope@engineeringmatters.com,David B. Cope,Dr,6179658974,dcope@engineeringmatters.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II research project will develop a novel radial magnetic field actuator for fully flexible electromagnetic automotive engine valves. Electromagnetic valve actuators are rapidly emerging as the technical solution for improved emissions, fuel consumption and greater engine performance. Dramatic improvement in engine performance and reduction in environmental impact is possible with this technology. A fully electronically controlled inlet/exhaust valve actuating system eliminates camshafts and other mechanical components completely, thus (1) allowing optimization of the gas-exchange process across the whole engine speed and load range, and (2) eliminating the packaging restrictions placed upon an engine by conventional camshaft profiling. The primary application of the actuator is automotive internal combustion engine valves. The ability to alter the lift and timing (opening and closing) of automotive engine valves will create more powerful engines that require less fuel and create fewer emissions. In fuel savings alone, an estimated 15% savings can be achieved, which equates to saving approximately 475 million barrels of oil per year for US consumption worth approximately $21 billion per year. Improving fuel economy is a worthy national goal: it will reduce America's dependence on imported oil, cut the carbon emissions that contribute to global warming, and increase automotive competitiveness."
Lightweight Power Transformer for Shipboard Electrical Power Distribution Systems,N00014-05-M-0028,DOD,OSD,SBIR,2005,1,99924.00,"ENGINEERING MATTERS, INC.","375 Elliot Street, Suite 130K",,Newton,MA,02464,Yes,No,No,David B. Cope,President,6179658974,dcope@engineeringmatters.com,David Cope,President,6179658974,dcope@engineeringmatters.com,"The objective is to develop lightweight voltage step-down equipment to be used in vehicle power distribution systems, with particular emphasis on the DD(X) and CVN(X) programs. Conventional 60Hz power distribution transformers are large and heavy. The Navy seeks a smaller and lighter replacement technology. The voltage level and operating frequency drive the physical size of a power transformer. High voltage and low frequency yield high magnetic flux and necessitate a large transformer core. Engineering Matters proposes to design, simulate, fabricate and build a transformer-isolated high-frequency switch-mode power supply to replace existing low-frequency transformers. Engineering Matters has already developed a high voltage, high frequency solid-state switch. This switch will enable the power supply to operate directly from primary shipboard distribution voltage (13.8kV) at frequencies above 5kHz. At high frequency, the size of the transformer will be greatly reduced. The core design will be optimized for volume savings, with material to be selected from ferrite, amorphous metal, and advanced iron-based magnetic alloys. The switching power supply will also feature voltage regulation and a high power factor."
Combined Effects for Improved Tissue Dissociation,1R43DK072747-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,367647.00,"Enteratech, Inc.","Enteratech, Inc.",2600 Cowall Dr,Hilliard,OH,43026 0877,Yes,No,No,,,6145298975,,Keith E. Schleiffer,,6147465601,SCHLEIFFER@SBCGLOBAL.NET,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Islet cell transplantation offers the hope of a cure for the more than 1 million Americans who are type I (insulin dependant) diabetics. However, current methods of islet cell recovery from donor pancreata leave much room for improvement. To help improve this procedure, EnteraTech, Inc., in collaboration with The University of Cincinnati, is developing a novel islet cell dissociation system. The overall objective of the Phase I work will be to demonstrate a combination of processing factors which should bring substantial improvement to current methods for dissociating pancreata into viable islets for transplantation. The team proposes to demonstrate this improvement through the combination of three processing approaches:
1. Tissue preprocessing (consistent thin sectioning). Both the surface area available to the collagenase enzyme for digestion, and the distance from the tissue surface to the inner-most cell, are factors affecting the enzyme contribution to the process. Tissue preprocessing should maximize enzyme effectiveness while also minimizing total cell exposure time.
2. Addition of energy. Ultrasound will be used to accelerate the dissociation process. Cavitation from ultrasonic energy will accelerate the dissociation process and potentiate the action of the enzyme by driving local mixing. Both direct-contact application of ultrasound, with a probe, and indirect application, immersing the tissue in an excited bath, will be evaluated.
3. Aeration. Aeration will keep the cells more viable by assuring a better supply of oxygen. Appropriate aeration should also add to the beneficial effects of cavitation by providing seeding bubbles and moderating their speed of collapse. The individual and combined effects of these novel processes will be tested and compared against the current computer controlled implementation of the Edmonton Protocol currently in use at The University of Cincinnati."
Modeling and Executing System and Operational Architectures with Representational Languages,FA8650-05-M-4307,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99976.00,"EXPAND, INC.",5728 Major Boulevard,Suite 232,Orlando,FL,32819,Yes,Yes,No,Rafiah Kashmiri,President,4075400920,rkashmiri@expand-inc.com,John Woodring,Chief Scientist,4075400920,jwoodring@expand-inc.com,"The current generation of executable architecture tools is based upon a monolithic design that does not accommodate modularity and thus forces users to make design and analysis trade-offs based upon the capabilities of the single tool that best suites their particular requirements. Expand proposes to investigate the feasibility of creating tools with interchangeable components, allowing analysts to select the most appropriate combination of features extracted from several tools. The resulting virtual tool will provide performance optimized for a specific task. Two major components are investigated: the design language and the execution engine. The Unified Modeling Language (UML) and the execution engine of CPN Tools will be investigated as replaceable components. Verification and validation of the approach will be performed by integrating these components with Visual Simulation Objects (VSO), a general-purpose modeling and simulation tool kit developed by Expand. Interoperability among tools using module interconnection is an extension of the basic concept of interoperability among simulations, which has resulted in the development of the High Level Architecture specification and application tools that support it. Modular tools can provide analysts with greater power to investigate the dynamic properties of complex systems and operations by providing multiple, independent views of the same architecture."
A Computational Tool for Studying the Merging of Plasma Jets to Create Warm and Hot Dense Matter,DE-FG02-05ER84186,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,FAR-TECH,"10350 Science Center Drive,",Ste 150,San Diego,CA,92121-1136,Yes,No,No,Jin-Soo Kim,Dr.,8584556655,kimjs@far-tech.com,Jin-Soo Kim,Dr.,8584556655,kimjs@far-tech.com,"78693S The merging of plasma jets to form converging plasma shells is a potentially attractive method of creating a voluminous amount of Warm and Hot Dense Matter (WDM), which may be magnetized. The concept consists of several important areas of physics: the high speed plasma jets themselves, plasma liner formation by merging jets, and the inter-penetration of the liner with a magnetized plasma. This project will develop a comprehensive simulation tool to study the interaction of discrete plasma jets for applications to high energy density physics (HEDP). Utilizing existing codes, a three-dimensional hybrid fluid-particle numerical code will be written with parallel computing capability, along with easy-to-use-and-maintain features. Phase I will investigate the conditions of the plasma liner formation and the dynamics of the liner, including instabilities. The required density and velocity to form a liner, along with the required spatial and temporal precision for uniform implosion to the target plasma, will be determined. The LSP code, with analytically known dynamics for two merging jets, will be applied to three merging jets. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The simulation tool should play a significant role in the development of the plasma-jets/plasma-liner concept for creating Warm and Hot Dense Matter for High Energy Density Physics studies. Furthermore, the tool should have application to a variety of industrial applications, including materials processing, dense plasma source, radiation sources, plasma thrusters for space applications, closing and opening switches, and pulsed power."
Virtual Diagnostics Toolset for Tokamak Simulations,DE-FG02-05ER84187,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,FAR-TECH,"10350 Science Center Drive,",Ste 150,San Diego,CA,92121-1136,Yes,No,No,Jin-Soo Kim,Dr.,8584556655,kimjs@far-tech.com,Jin-Soo Kim,Dr.,8584556655,kimjs@far-tech.com,"79105S As plasma modeling and simulation become mature, virtual diagnostics can become an option for tokamak research in the fusion energy program. A virtual diagnostics toolset that allows direct comparison of numerical simulation with tokamak measurements would provide an invaluable tool for thorough understanding of tokamak plasmas and further define future necessary diagnostics. This project will develop a universal toolset for these comparisons. The kit will provide for the detailed geometry and characteristics of each experimental diagnostic and will allow the utilization of the various equilibrium, stability and transport codes in the fusion community. During Phase I, a virtual soft X-ray diagnostic will be created, using existing equilibrium and stability codes. As proof-of-principle of virtual diagnostic toolset, the virtual soft X-ray signals for several DIII-D discharges will be compared with the experimental data. The virtual data will be stored in MDSplus, which is becoming a standard fusion database. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The virtual diagnostics toolkit should benefit every tokamak facility, as well as fusion scientists around the world. The methodology also should be applicable to other plasma experiments such as Spherical Tokamaks, National Spherical Torus Experiment, Stellerators, Reversed Field Pinches, and the Field Reversed Configuration."
Resistive Wall Mode Internal Structure Identification by Soft X-Ray Contrast Enhancing Technique,DE-FG02-05ER84184,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,FAR-TECH,"10350 Science Center Drive,",Ste 150,San Diego,CA,92121-1136,Yes,No,No,Jin-Soo Kim,Dr.,8584556655,kimjs@far-tech.com,Ioan N. Bogatu,Dr.,8584556655,nbogatu@far-tech.com,"79101S In fusion systems, the effectiveness of direct feedback control of resistive wall mode (RWM) depends critically on the real-time identification of and accurate diagnostic information on early low-amplitude mode structure. The internal structure of RWM cannot be extracted solely from external magnetic measurements and requires diagnostics able to measure inside the plasma column. This project will develop and test an improved soft x-ray ┐contrast enhancing┐ technique (SXR CET) for the internal structure identification of RWM. The SXR CET will be implemented and validated as a part of an integrated system for direct feedback control of RWM. We demonstrated the SXR CET proof-of-principle and presented its improved signal-to-noise, contrast enhancing, and capability of low-amplitude mode detection in a recently published paper. During Phase I, the SXR CET will be designed with an improved setup on DIII-D, and its detection capability for very slowly growing RWM will be tested. The ability to discriminate between rotating and non-rotating plasmas to measure error field resonant amplification will be determined. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The SXR CET should be a key component for the optimal control of fusion plasma reactors. The final product, an integrated diagnostic tool, should be suitable and adaptable for other plasma processing installations."
3D Modeling Tool for High Density and High Mach number Plasma Accelerator Research,DE-FG02-05ER84185,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,FAR-TECH,"10350 Science Center Drive,",Ste 150,San Diego,CA,92121-1136,Yes,No,No,Jin-Soo Kim,Dr.,8584556655,kimjs@far-tech.com,Jin-Soo Kim,Dr.,8584556655,kimjs@far-tech.com,"78675S The DOE┐s Office of Fusion Energy Sciences has initiated the development of high-density, high-mach-number plasma jets for a variety of critical fusion applications, including fueling, driving rotation, and disruption mitigation in magnetic fusion devices. A numerical tool, that can comprehend and optimize the plasma in the plasma accelerator gun, is critically required to support this research. This project will develop a three-dimensional, hybrid, particle-in-cell code coupled to a fluid simulation tool to properly model the plasma and geometry of the accelerator. The hybrid code will accurately model accelerating plasma boundaries where both particle and fluid effects are important. In Phase I, an existing code, such as the LSP code, will be utilized to investigate plasma conditions in the accelerator that are needed to produce high speed jets with a higher efficiency. A preliminary optimization for a higher efficiency will be performed with simplified geometries, and necessary upgrades to the code will be identified. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The three-dimensional hybrid simulation tool for plasma jet accelerator research should play a significant role in development of dense plasma jets for fusion applications. Furthermore, the tool should have applicability to the development of plasma thrusters for space propulsion for interplanetary travel."
Optimization of Electron-Cyclotron-Resonance Charge-Breeder Ions,DE-FG02-04ER83954,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,2,700000.00,FAR-TECH,"10350 Science Center Drive,",Ste 150,San Diego,CA,92121-1136,Yes,No,No,Jin-Soo Kim,Dr.,8584556655,kimjs@far-tech.com,Jin-Soo Kim,Dr.,8584556655,kimjs@far-tech.com,"75546S Many Radioactive Ion Beam (RIB) laboratories around the world are using or planning to use Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) Charge Breeders because they provide an economical way of producing RIBs. Currently, charge breeders, which produce multi-charged radioactive ions for nuclear physics research, produce the RIBs by a trial and error method. This project will investigate the beam capture processes in charge breeders and produce a comprehensive suite of numerical simulation tools for the analysis, design, and optimization of ECR ion sources of rare ion beams produced by charge breeders. A significant upgrade to the GEM (Generalized ECR-ion-source Modeling) code will be made, fully utilizing it, for radioactive ion beam source optimization. Phase I established a groundwork for understanding beam capture processes for the singly-charged-ions injected to charge breeders. A Monte Carlo module was developed for estimating the beam capture and charge breeding efficiency within the GEM framework. Phase II will upgrade the Monte Carlo code and the GEM code, validate the codes with experiments, and perform simulations to guide current and future experiments. A suite of numerical modules for the rare ion ECR charge breeder will be developed, which will include the capture of injected ions, charge buildup in the plasma, and the extraction of highly-charged rare ions. Commercial Applications And Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The numerical optimization of multiply charged (radioactive) ion sources should be directly applicable to the Rare Isotope Accelerator facility that is strongly supported by the DOE. A comprehensive suite of numerical tools also should have industrial applications, including advanced plasma processing."
"A Reliable, Compact, and Inexpensive Klystron for the International Linear Collider",DE-FG02-05ER84357,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,FAR-TECH,"10350 Science Center Drive,",Ste 150,San Diego,CA,92121-1136,Yes,No,No,Jin-Soo Kim,Dr.,8584556655,kimjs@far-tech.com,Nikolai Barov,Dr.,8584556655,barov@far-tech.com,"78008S The proposed International Linear Collider (ILC), a tool for future high energy physics research, places unprecedented demands on the high-power radio frequency (RF) system used to drive the accelerator structures. Even small improvements in system cost, power efficiency, or reliability could lead to dramatic cost savings over the life of such a collider facility. This project will design an inexpensive, compact, low-voltage RF tube, with adequate power for driving a single ILC 1meter-long structure. The device should provide an operating voltage of 36 kV, an output power of 800 kW, and efficiencies greater than 65 percent. In Phase I, an analysis and conceptual design of the tube will be conducted. The tube design will be optimized with electrostatic simulations for the gun region and one-dimensional models of the cavity section. Design geometry will be simulated with a 2┐-dimension electromagnetic particle-in-cell code, and analyzed for stability. The design will emphasize low production cost, small physical size, and easy maintenance/interchange. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The proposed RF tube should be suitable for powering many types of superconducting accelerator structures, including the International Linear Collider, light sources such as TESLA X-FEL, the Fermilab Proton Driver, and energy recovery linacs."
Non-Perturbing Multi-Axis Magnetic Field Sensor,DE-FG02-05ER84188,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,Fieldmetrics Inc.,13352 82nd Avenue,,Seminole,FL,33776,Yes,No,No,Pamela J. Hamilton,Ms.,7276981742,hamilton@fieldmetrics.net,Christopher P. Yakymyshyn,Dr.,7276981792,yakymyshyn@fieldmetrics.net,"78897S Plasma fusion research experiments require magnetic field measurements over a wide range of bandwidth and sensitivity. However, existing pickup coil sensors are limited in bandwidth, require time integration, and perturb the experiment when used as inserted diagnostics. Novel sensors that can be used for edge or insertion measurements of magnetic fields ranging from 0.01 to 100 G over a bandwidth of 10 kHz to 100 MHz are needed. This project will develop a non-perturbing, high bandwidth, high sensitivity optical sensor as a next generation magnetic field diagnostic for plasma fusion experiments. The sensor will have a magnetic permeability of unity and the galvanically isolated output signal will not require time integration. The sensor package will be engineered to handle high bake out and operating temperatures in excess of 250┐C. Phase I will optimize the design of an optical magnetic field sensor for plasma fusion applications. The sensor material and optical design will be evaluated to determine optimal sensitivity and bandwidth. A complete system design will be developed including the light source, receiver, optical sensor, and packaging. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The new optical sensor will allow various sensitivity and bandwidth configurations to support magnetic field measurements in plasma research, ranging from low temperature university experiments to larger scale spheromak and tokamak machines. The sensor also should find use across the pulsed power and accelerator communities, with additional applications in high power antenna mapping and radiographic machines."
"Modular, Potential-Powered Voltage Monitor and Diagnostics Platform",DE-FG02-05ER84147,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,Fieldmetrics Inc.,13352 82nd Avenue,,Seminole,FL,33776,Yes,No,No,Pamela J. Hamilton,Ms.,7276981742,hamilton@fieldmetrics.net,Michael A. Brubaker,Dr.,9704613869,brubaker@fieldmetrics.net,"78846S Investment in the U.S. power grid infrastructure has not kept pace with increased energy demands, and consequently, existing power lines must operate close to conservative safety limits. The development of advanced instrumentation could simultaneously improve efficiency and maintain reliability. Next generation sensors must be low-cost to allow widespread deployment while providing critical power line parameter measurements to utility operators in real-time. This project will develop a modular, potential-powered voltage monitor as the foundation of a low-cost sensor platform that can be readily scaled for deployment on power lines over the full range of distribution and transmission voltages. Phase I will design the modular impedance building block, which is the critical enabling technology for the modular intelligent suspension insulator platform. A laboratory scale facility will be set up to fabricate hydrophobic cycloaliphatic epoxy samples for dielectric testing using a single-step casting process. The dielectric and mechanical designs for the building block will be optimized using the sample test results. Subsections of the final design will be fabricated for verification testing and thermal cycling. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: The sensor platform should have a wide range of possible applications for the electric utility industry. The modular intelligent insulator can provide ┐power on the tower┐ at low cost to support monitors and telemetry for control and metering of electric power, broadband and cellular communications, and sensors for homeland security applications. Furthermore, the device can replace old or damaged conventional instrument transformers with a low cost, lightweight, environmentally friendly voltage measurement technology that provides high, industry-specified accuracy."
Unitary Warhead Airburst Fuzing Capability,FA8651-05-C-0109,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,749751.00,FIRST RF Corporation,CO,,Boulder,CO,80301-2312,Yes,No,No,Theresa Boone,Cheif Operating Officer,3034495211,tboone@firstrf.com,Farzin Lalezari,Principal Investigator,3034495211,flalezari@firstrf.com,"The lack of an active sensor for ranging eliminates the airburst capability on many existing conventional weapons used for impact and penetrating missions. The Air Force has a desire to add a height of burst (HOB) capability to these weapons in order to expand their operational use. FIRST RF recognizes the need for a fuzing system with the real beam accuracy of MMW frequencies, the foliage penetration and cost of low frequency systems, and no alterations to the skin of existing missile systems such as JASSM. FIRST RF Corporation has developed an innovative concept that will provide all these benefits over the wide range of applications including the JASSM platform. A robust fuze providing better than 0.5 meter accuracy is required in the presence of adverse weather, battlefield obscurants, ECM/EMI and thick vegetation and tree canopies. The fuze concept exploits radiation from existing national or commercial assets. The proposed program takes advantage of developments on other Phase II programs to put together a fuze demonstration testbed with final validation of the concept at Eglin AFB."
Multi-Band/Beam Module,FA8718-05-C-0006,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,750000.00,FIRST RF Corporation,CO,,Boulder,CO,80301-2312,Yes,No,No,Theresa Boone,Chief Operating Officer,3034495211,tboone@firstrf.com,Farzin Lalezari,Principal Investigator,3034495211,flalezari@firstrf.com,"The goal of this SBIR topic is to develop a phased array antenna module for multi-band/beam, dual polarized receive array at 15 GHz RHCP (Right Hand Circularly Polarized) and 20 GHz LHCP (Left Hand Circularly Polarized) and RHCP (Right Hand Circularly Polarized) supporting three simultaneous beam formations. Each antenna element requires an RF electronics package with three receivers, two at 20 GHz and one at 15 GHz. Each receiver chain needs to provide enough gain to establish system noise figure and overcome combiner network losses along with a digitally controlled phase shifter for beam forming. The multi band element receiver RF electronics would be fabricated on a single MMIC chip and packaged along with a digital latch for phase shifter control in a surface mount chip scale package. The custom MMIC would include two multi-stage LNA amplifiers with gain >24 dB. The first LNA would be used for the 20 GHz LHCP signal and the other would be used to amplify the RHCP signal for both the 15 GHz and 20 GHz bands. Critical to this development is the integrated subarray architecture which allows for modularity in the passive and active subassemblies for lower cost and maintainability."
Advanced Microwave Antenna for Airborne Soil Moisture and Salinity Mapping,DG133R-05-CN-1250,DOC,DOC,SBIR,2005,2,299942.00,FIRST RF Corporation,CO,,Boulder,CO,80301-2312,Yes,No,No,Theresa C. Boone,Chief Operating Officer,3034495211,tboone@firstrf.com,Farzin Lalezari,Chief Executive Officer,3034495211,flalezari@firstrf.com,"The NOAA Environmental Technology Laboratory seeks to perform advanced wide-area mapping of soil moisture and salinity. This requires a large scanning antenna with aerodynamic form, narrow beamwidth, high efficiency, and dual polarization. This antenna system must provide operation at L-band (1400-1427 MHz) and C-band (6.0-6.5 GHz). This large aperture must maintain stable performance independent of changes in environment. This is important, as the test conditions require high accuracy and a high degree of calibration for the sensitivity levels that are sought. FIRST RF is proposing dual polarized microstrip antennas capable of meeting performance requirements. The design parameters and materials must be chosen carefully to achieve bandwidth, efficiency, and packaging constraints. FIRST RF is proposing separate apertures at L-band and C-band. This is due to the rigid performance requirements at each frequency. A combined frequency antenna would compromise the performance of either frequency and pose additional complexities in the radome."
Physically-Small VHF SAR Antenna,W31P4Q-05-C-R168,DOD,DARPA,SBIR,2005,2,744893.00,FIRST RF Corporation,CO,,Boulder,CO,80301-2312,Yes,No,No,Theresa C. Boone,Chief Operating Officer,3034495211,tboone@firstrf.com,Farzin Lalezari,Principal Investigator,3034495211,flalezari@firstrf.com,"The challenge of transferring VHF FOPEN technology to small tactical platforms lies in achieving adequate antenna characteristics within the allowable size, weight, and mechanical constraints. FIRST RF has developed during Phase I a simple, novel approach to meeting the tough performance requirements. The key elements of the FIRST RF innovative design include: innovative broadband beamforming concept to achieve the necessary gain and front to back ratio over the entire bandwidth; incorporation of an efficienct lightweight commercial antenna achieving the bandwidth within a single aperture; an antenna design that is adaptable to a wide range of configurations and installations; and finally a test configuration that enables complete free space calibration of installed antenna performance. During Phase I, FIRST RF validated the design through both electromagnetic modeling and full scale measured patterns on a mock up platform. This design will be the baseline for the development of a flyable prototype in Phase II."
Distributed Antenna Applications for Body Worn Platforms,W911QX-06-C-0014,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69934.00,FIRST RF Corporation,CO,,Boulder,CO,80301-2312,Yes,No,No,Theresa C. Boone,Chief Operating Officer,3034495211,tboone@firstrf.com,Farzin Lalezari,Principal Investigator,3034495211,flalezari@firstrf.com,"Wearable electronics are of significant interest in several military and commercial applications. The goal of this technology is to optimize performance over a broad bandwidth while minimizing impact on the user. FIRST RF proposes to develop and deliver field-expedient prototypes and models of at least five different technologies for wearable multi-function distributed antenna systems for Land Warrior/Ground Soldier applications, available for immediate testing and human engineering in a battalion unit for the development of network-centric Army operations. Miniaturized separate antennas are proposed for the GPS and EPLRS systems to facilitate rapid development of these products in order to test and develop field-ready hardware in the shortest possible timeframe. The proposed solutions are practical and can be readily manufactured for prompt delivery to the Army war fighter. In order to better assess the suitability of these antennas, each of the prototypes and models that has been developed for this proposal will be delivered to Army in the Phase I kickoff meeting."
Enhanced Data Link Performance in Multipath and Interference Environments,N68335-05-C-0108,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,79890.00,FIRST RF Corporation,CO,,Boulder,CO,80301-2312,Yes,No,No,Theresa Boone,Chief Operating Officer,3034495211,tboone@firstrf.com,Farzin Lalezari,Principal Investigator,3034495211,flalezari@firstrf.com,"The proposed solution utilizes multiple antenna installations employed in strategically chosen locations on the aircraft carrier to maximize the system's capability to reject multi-path and interference. Each antenna installation employs unique techniques to mitigate the multi-path and interference problems individually or part of a larger system. The key to the system is to combine multiple antenna platforms with unique characteristics into a diverse system. A diverse antenna system which exploits spatial diversity between apertures, frequency diversity, and amplitude diversity within an aperture will provide significant advantages over traditional systems. The three antenna platforms are presented as the optimal approach to attain coverage in the critical regions and mitigate the effects of multi-path and interference. The three antennas can each function as stand alone systems or be combined to form a system providing higher spatial specificity if required. FIRST RF personnel have both past and present history in the understanding, exploitation, and mitigation of multi-path to apply to this problem. FIRST RF has developed innovative beamforming techniques including non-traditional beam/null forming algorithms to maximize rejection of an interference signal. Finally, FIRST RF has validated our models using scaled measurements on the carrier for multi-path predictions and pattern performance."
HIGHLY EFFICIENT TURBOFAN ENGINE AERO DESIGN FOR LONGER RANGE MUNITIONS,W31P4Q-05-C-R078,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,68595.00,"Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.",FL,,Jupiter,FL,33458-7887,Yes,No,No,Shirley Brostmeyer,Chief Executive Officer,5617463317,sbrostmeyer@fttinc.com,P. D. Johnson,Program Manager,5617463317,djohnson@fttinc.com,"Small expendable gas turbine engines historically suffer from poor specific fuel consumption (SFC) and high costs for military applications. These engines are single-shaft turbojets and their use in the propulsion system of future advanced munitions such as the Army's Non-Line of Sight Launch System Loitering Attack Munition (NLOS-LS LAM) will greatly limit the munition's operational capability. Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc. (FTT) has developed an improved design concept for an expendable gas turbine engine for use in military applications. The new concept addresses key challenges that limit the effective use of small turbojets, and provides an alternative highly efficient affordable turbofan engine. FTT focuses the current effort on the development of an optimized aerodynamic design of fan, compressor and turbine airfoils using 3D steady and unsteady advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The resulting aero design can be used in subsequent mechanical design of a small engine with half the fuel consumption and significantly lower cost than today's turbojet baseline. Analytical validation of the improvement in fuel consumption over today's turbojet baseline will be provided."
Performance-Based Inspection Techniques for Turbine Engine Blades and Rotors,FA8650-05-M-2584,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99169.00,"Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.",FL,,Jupiter,FL,33458-7887,Yes,No,No,Lloyd Mazer,Contracts Officer,5617463317,lmazer@fttinc.com,Susan Cunnigham,Program Manager,5617463317,scunningham@fttinc.com,"HCF is one of the leading causes of engine failure in aircraft. Preventing HCF failures requires accurate determination and avoidance of resonant frequencies in design. Designers use a combination of finite element structural analysis and modal frequency testing to identify the natural frequencies at which components resonate. However, these analyses are typically performed on nominal geometries. While each of the blades in a blade row is designed to the same nominal dimensions with close tolerances, the actual dimensions (and therefore resonant frequencies) of manufactured parts will vary a small amount from blade to blade. Methods for acquiring digital 3D dimensional data of manufactured parts are now available but the process to characterize stress from 3D scans is complex and time-consuming. Each blade requires it own mesh for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis to predict aerodynamic loading, and finite element analysis (FEA) to calculate the blade frequency and stress. The goal herein is to develop methods for streamlining the process for calculating blade vibratory stress for measured airfoils. We propose to develop the techniques to efficiently manipulate the geometry and finite element meshes in order to permit multiple blade stress calculations in much less time than it takes today."
MODIS-Based Products for Operational Decision Support Systems,NNS05AA30C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69944.00,GDA CORP,301 Science Park Rd,Ste. 112,State College,PA,16803-6602,Yes,No,No,Stephanie Hulina,Business Official,8142374060,stephanie@gdacorp.com,Dmitry L. Varlyguin,,8142374060,dmitry@gdacorp.com,"SMH Consulting proposes to develop a web-based decision support system to assist in Rapid Assessment, Monitoring, and Management (RAMM-DSS) on a regional scale. SMH Consulting will focus on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and collaborate with the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) for the RAMM-DSS development during Phase I. The RAMM-DSS will supplement operational decision support tools already in use with tailored data products routinely derived from NASA's MODIS data. Delivery of data products and information will be through a web portal where users can view, query, and download data for a specified area and time period of interest. The RAMM-DSS will support NASA missions by (i) lowering technical and logistical barriers to the use of ESE data, (ii) making ESE data easy-to-use for practitioners, and (iii) supporting educational initiatives on use of RS data in operational scenarios. The web delivery of data and information tailored to client requirements will bridge the gap between RS data providers and applicational users. Further, the educational component consisting of real-world, hands-on case studies and RS and satellite/sensor overviews, will aim to eventually close this gap altogether by making practitioners more knowledgeable and aware of the use of RS data in their daily operations."
"Unmanned Autonomous Vehicle Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Payload Interface Master Module, PIMM",H92222-06-P-0003,DOD,SOCOM,SBIR,2005,1,99767.00,"GECO, INC.",1754 N. 48th St.,,Mesa,AZ,85205 0520,Yes,No,No,Jennifer Graves,Chief Operating Officer,4809817379,jennifer.graves@gecoinc.com,Jennifer Graves,Chief Operating Officer,4809817379,jennifer.graves@gecoinc.com,"The GECO Payload Interface Master Module Phase I development approach capitalizes on both our telecom and defense electronic design experiences to provide SOCOM with an optimal PIMM design. GECO's research trade studies will allow us to deliver the best performance that commercial technologies can support and our design engineering experience will insure the optimal solution is fielded in a package that is both rugged and supportable. This approach allows the insertion of the latest and most capable COTS technologies including WiMAX and cellular standards to support the need for a low cost line-of-sight high rate sensor data link. This approach also supports the beyond line-of-sight moderate rate video data link with the most advantages solution. GECO's experience includes system design and integration of video data links on UAVs and the integration of this data into a helicopter crew station. The integration of this data to the SOF user will be accomplished without risk due to our previous experience with designing and integrating video sensors and software into a classified system. Finally, our capabilities to manufacture hardware such as the Digital Video Adapter product will allow the PIMM to be easily integrated into any Mission Equipment Package the SOCOM customer specifies."
In Silico Assesment of Drug Metabolism and Toxicity,2R44GM069124-02A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,744558.00,"GENEGO, INC.","GENEGO, INC.","500 RENAISSANCE DR, STE 106",ST. JOSEPH,MI,49085,Yes,No,No,Andrej Bugrim,,2699837649,ANDREJ@GENEGO.COM,Sean Ekins,,2699300974,sean@genego.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Failure of molecules in the late stages of drug development are to a large extent attributable to poor ADME/Tox properties. These properties are generally predictable in the earlier, cheaper stages of drug discovery. The goal of this work is to predict metabolism and toxicity using a computational suite called MetaDrug. This integrates human endogenous and xenobiotic metabolic as well as signalling pathways and can also incorporate gene expression, and experimental data. Under phase I, novel algorithms for predicting major CYP-mediated pathways were generated and successfully validated along with rules for predicting metabolites and reactive metabolites formed which are likely to be toxic. This algorithm development enabled the prediction of substrates and metabolites, the affinity and the rate of metabolism as well as interactions with other endogenous, metabolic and signalling pathways. With phase II funding we will develop large comprehensive datasets (>1000 molecules) for in vitro drug-drug interactions with the major CYPs, and use these for generating machine learning algorithms for these human drug metabolizing enzymes. We will also annotate rat and mouse data for drug metabolism and the transcriptional regulation of these enzymes, capturing the kinetic data which can also be used for predictive model building. We will also generate a novel algorithm for the accurate prediction of metabolites using the metabolite rules from phase I to produce a molecular fingerprint for known drugs. The database of molecules with known human metabolites will then be used as an input for a machine learning algorithm. We will combine the predictions from our various QSAR models for enzyme affinity and rate of metabolism, the relative contributions of these enzymes and their tissue distribution, to ultimately predict the clearance of a drug. The proposed work will enable GeneGo to develop a unique tool that will improve the prediction of metabolism and toxicity. These new features and database content will then be marketed to pharmaceutical companies and academia."
Developing Bioinformatics Tools for Proteomics Research,FA8650-05-M-6596,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99897.00,"GENEGO, INC.","GENEGO, INC.","500 RENAISSANCE DR, STE 106",ST. JOSEPH,MI,49085,Yes,No,No,Yuri Nikolsky,Chief Executive Officer,2699837620,yuri@genego.com,Andrej Bugrim,Chief Operating Officer,2699837629,andrej@genego.com,"We propose to develop an analytical system for import, visualization and comprehensive network analysis of proteomics data. Proteomics data will be integrated with other datasets relevant for the same biological system, and compared in the framework of biological networks. The system will be based on our existing comprehensive database of human protein-protein interactions MetaBase, the toolkit for visualization and computational analysis of biological networks MetaCore and the medicinal chemistry tool MetaDrug. The new platform will be capable of recognition and incorporation of proteomics data of different formats and aligning them with microarrays gene expression, DNA sequences, metabolomic data and human diseases. On the next step, we will develop and validate algorithms and methodology for identification of biological networks from the assembled data. When developed, the new platform will have a broad range of applications in drug discovery, bio- and chemical defense and academic research in several disciplines."
Networks from Toxicogenomics Gene Expression Data,1R43ES013800-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,98648.00,"GENEGO, INC.","GENEGO, INC.","500 RENAISSANCE DR, STE 106",ST. JOSEPH,MI,49085,Yes,No,No,Andrej Bugrim,,2699837649,ANDREJ@GENEGO.COM,Tatiana A. Nikolskaya,,2699837620,TATIANA@GENEGO.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Recently available for ADME/Tox research, new ""genomics"" technologies allowed to exponentially increase the throughput of pre-clinical toxicity testing. However, the functional analysis of new data lags behind, with mainly mechanistic clustering statistical procedures. We propose a novel approach of identification and analysis of functional networks and modules implicated in toxicity in human and experimental models. In Phase I we will use our system's biology data mining suit MetaCore to analyze publicly available toxicogenomics microarray expression data and reconstruct signaling, regulatory and metabolic networks specifically implicated in different types of hepatotoxicity in rat. The networks will be adjusted to reflect the difference in protein-protein interactions between human and rat and analyzed using multiple network comparison algorithms within our suit MetaCore. The resulted ""signature networks"" characteristic for specific toxicities, will be tested in genome-wide microarray experiments in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin (EDGE ? 2 database). The project will result in a unique toolkit for rational analysis of gene expression, proteomics and metabolomics data widely needed in toxicogenomics research, and in series of ""signature networks"" applicable for early detection and sub-categorization of hepatotoxicity. The technology allows integration and analysis of different types of experimental data on the same backbone of functional networks. The network analysis toolkit (algorithms, database, visualization tools) will be integrated in our ADME/Tox suit MetaDrug and offered to phramaceutical companies and academic institutions including NIEHS and FDA."
Elucidation of Protein Networks Implicated in Brca,1R43CA112828-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,99880.00,"GENEGO, INC.","GENEGO, INC.","500 RENAISSANCE DR, STE 106",ST. JOSEPH,MI,49085,Yes,No,No,Andrej Bugrim,,2699837649,ANDREJ@GENEGO.COM,Tatiana A. Nikolskaya,,2699837620,TATIANA@GENEGO.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose to apply a novel systems biology technology for elucidation of human functional pathways implicated in breast cancer. We will analyze publicly available disease's microarray gene expression data in our data mining suit MetaCore and reconstruct signaling, regulatory and metabolic networks specifically affected in the disease. MetaCore consists of a comprehensive database of human pathways and protein interactions from experimental literature, visualization and network reconstruction tools. Using multiple network building and comparison algorithms, we will elucidate the network modules that are either associated with specific tumor subtypes (for example, associated with estrogen receptor status, mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2 and other genes) or could be predictive of treatment response and metastasis prognosis. We call these characteristic modules ""signature networks"". Unlike ""molecular signatures"" - lists of unconnected genes identified by clustering of microarray data points, such networks reflect and reveal the disease mechanisms. Conditional ""signature networks"" will be used as a novel type of diagnostics and a source for novel drug targets for breast cancer."
Computational reconstruction of disease pathways,1R43GM070219-01A2,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,99324.00,"GENEGO, INC.","GENEGO, INC.","500 RENAISSANCE DR, STE 106",ST. JOSEPH,MI,49085,Yes,No,No,Yuri Nikolsky,,2699837649,YURI@GENEGO.COM,Andrej E. Bugrim,,2699837629,ANDREJ@GENEGO.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant):
We propose to develop technology for an automated functional analysis of large sets of high-throughput molecular data in the framework of human pathways. Our approach will allow rapid reconstruction of unique pathway/network motifs that closely correlate with given condition, disease or phenotype (""signature networks""). Such networks could then serve as means for finding/validating drug targets and biomarkers, predicting response to a treatment and designing a new generation of diagnostic tools. In phase I, we will develop several algorithms and prototype software for automated reconstruction of such condition-specific pathways. We will test and validate developed algorithms using large set of high quality microarray data from myeloma cell lines obtained by our collaborators at Van Andel Research Institute (VARI). In phase II developed algorithms will be applied to various sets of molecular data obtained from clinical samples available at VARI (approximately 1,000 samples) and further refined for reconstruction of disease ""signature networks"". Commercial potential of the research will be realized through three major channels: 1) developing new analytical modules for our existing MetaCore(tm) platform; 2) generating intellectual property by analyzing data from clinical samples in collaboration with Van Andel Research Institute; 3) entering into collaborative agreements with major drug companies for the expert analysis of in-house data."
MOIDSS?- Mobile Online Intelligent Decision Support System,NNS05AA03C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,2,599731.00,Geospatial Research Innovation Design,7525 Milan Street,,Corpus Christi,TX,78414 0614,Yes,No,No,Cynthia M. Lyle,Owner,3619920662,cynthia.lyle@sbcglobal.net,stacey lyle,Principal Investigator,3619920662,slyle_grid@sbcglobal.net,"GRID has had a successfully completed Phase I 'Mobile Online Intelligent Decision Support System' (MOIDSS). The system developed into a total solution that supports the ability to send and receive digital and analog data from sensors such as photography cameras, spectrometers, infrared and thermal scanners and other system sensors using the 'cube' computers and mobile Personal Data Adapters (PDA's). The data from the sensors can be accessed rapidly in real-time within a GIS using GRID 'geospatial-realty intelligent linking database' (GRILD) autonomously using GPS geospatial authentication. The system has successfully received data using wireless networking systems such as spread spectrum, UHF, and satellite communication systems. Using commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions allows a solution that is not proprietary and proven security biometric identification. This system uses GRID's customized software with partners ESRI and Leica Geosystems. The solution was designed with input from local first responders and facility managers. GRID is prepared to move to the next phase to enter the market with a valuable product."
Electronic Techniques For Radiation Hardening of EKV Electro-Optics Subsystems,W9113M-05-C-0181,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,2,749907.00,"GH SYSTEMS, INC.",655 Discovery Drive,Suite 302,Huntsville,AL,35806,Yes,No,No,Mike Holmes,President,2564280050,Mike.Holmes@GH-Systems.us,Jonathan Fisher,"Director, Science and Tec",2564280050,Jonathan.Fisher@GH-Systems.us,"This Phase II effort is an extension of the Phase I SBIR entitled ""Electronic Techniques For Radiation Hardening of EKV Electro-Optics Subsystems"". Phase II will focus on evaluating specific Orbital Science Corporation (OSC) Booster Vehicle (OBV) subsystem mechanical and electrical designs and piece part lists to determine the level of compliance of the current OBV with the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) High Altitude Exoatmospheric Nuclear Survivability (HAENS) Standard (STD). The results of these evaluations will form the basis for defining future block upgrades and design modifications in order to progress the OBV toward full compliance with the MDA HAENS Standard. The GH Systems team, including ATK Mission Research and OSC as subcontractors, will perform a detailed evaluation by updating and extending the analyses and evaluations performed in Phase I to quantify the hardness, design margins, and probability of survival for the OBV parts, boards, and packages, and will use the results as the basis for developing a Survivability Assessment Data Base (SADB) tool. Phase II will also include a detailed evaluation of the mitigation strategies recommended in Phase I. SADB tool will allow the Government and OBV team to easily track the hardness maturity during the design evolutions of the OBV."
GBI Testbed EKV Hardness Assessment and Hardness Enhancements,W9113M-05-C-0182,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,2,749711.00,"GH SYSTEMS, INC.",655 Discovery Drive,Suite 302,Huntsville,AL,35806,Yes,No,No,Mike Holmes,President,2564280050,Mike.Holmes@GH-Systems.us,Jonathan Fisher,"Director, Science and Tec",2564280050,Jonathan.Fisher@GH-Systems.us,"This Phase II effort is an extension of the Phase I SBIR entitled ""GBI Testbed EKV Hardness Assessments and Hardness Enhancements"". Phase II will focus on evaluating specific Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) subsystem mechanical and electrical designs and piece part lists to determine the level of compliance of the current EKV design with the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) High Altitude Exoatmospheric Nuclear Survivability (HAENS) Standard (STD). The results of these evaluations will form the basis for defining future block upgrades and design modifications in order to progress the EKV toward full compliance with the MDA HAENS STD. The GH Systems team, including ATK Mission Research and Raytheon as subcontractors, will perform a detailed evaluation by updating and extending the analyses and evaluations performed in Phase I to quantify the hardness, design margins and probability of survival for the EKV parts, boards, and packages, and will use the results as the basis for developing a Survivability Assessment Data Base (SADB) tool. Phase II will also include a detailed evaluation of the mitigation strategies recommended in Phase I. The SADB tool will allow the Government and the EKV team to easily track the hardness maturity during the design evolutions of the EKV."
IMU/GPS Accuracy Enhancements for GMD,W9113M-05-C-0026,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,98354.00,"GH SYSTEMS, INC.",655 Discovery Drive,Suite 302,Huntsville,AL,35806,Yes,No,No,Mike Holmes,President,2564280050,Mike.Holmes@gh-systems.us,Mohammed Miran,Senior Engineer,2564280050,Mohammed.Miran@gh-systems.us,"This Phase I effort will develop a design solution that adds a GPS receiver to an IMU for the GBI EKV. This new Integrated Inertial Navigation Unit must put gyros, accelerometers, electronics, EKV interfaces, processing, GPS and GPS antennae interfaces in the volume and footprint currently occupied by the first four items alone. The GH Systems team, with Honeywell as our subcontractor, will evaluate multiple design alternatives and refine a unique design solution for implementation in Phase II. The GH Systems team will leverage its knowledge of the EKV system and its history of designing and delivering inertial systems for missile defense interceptors to design a solution that meets or exceeds the stated GBI EKV requirements."
Exo-atmospheric Kill Vehicle Sunshade O-Ring Seal Technology Program,W9113M-05-C-0088,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99763.00,"GH SYSTEMS, INC.",655 Discovery Drive,Suite 302,Huntsville,AL,35806,Yes,No,No,Michael D. Holmes,President,2564280050,Mike.Holmes@GH-Systems.us,Billy R. Aldrich,Principle Engineer,2564280050,Bill.Aldrich@GH-Systems.us,"The ejection of the EKV sunshade cover is a potential single point failure node requiring a high level of confidence in its performance. A detailed understanding of the o-ring design and the possible interactions between the o-ring and sunshade surface is required. Assessing the current EKV sunshade o-ring design and implementation, and evaluating possible alternatives could result in the discovery of an alternative that provides an improvement in the performance and robustness of the o-ring seal and its interactions with the sunshade body/cover interface such that o-ring ""sticking"" is not an issue or is minimized when the sunshade cover is ejected. The evaluation of potential enhancements to the EKV sunshade o-ring design will primarily focus on minimizing ""sticking"" and meeting the long-term storage requirements while taking into account contamination and out-gassing effects. Performance of an o-ring is based on its material, geometry, contact surface, and lubrication. By choosing the right material and reducing the contact area the possibility of ""sticking"" can be reduced or eliminated."
Hands-Free or Limited-Manipulation Language Translation Tools for Non-Linguist Soldiers,W911QX-06-C-0009,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69508.00,GLOBAL ASSESSMENT LLC,230 Sunport Lane,Suite 400,Orlando,FL,32809 2809,Yes,No,No,Awny Khashoggi,Senior Project Administrator,3212281268,awny@unique-option.com,Shatha Samman,Chief Science & Technology Officer,4074916034,ssamman@aol.com,"The overall objective of this research is to design and build a portable and hands-free multimodal Arabic-English translation system that can utilize both verbal and non-verbal information and scenarios to facilitate communication between soldiers and Arab coalition partners as well as native Arabic speaking civilians. The specific objectives of the phase I research are to (1) review all currently available and near future prototype commercial off the shelf and government off the shelf language translation tools, as well as any multimodal technology that aids in limiting the need for hands-on manipulation in computing (including interface design, speech recognition and input control ergonomics), (2) explore the possibility and feasibility of developing scenario-based picture language and animations that can be used to communicate with minimal manipulation or hands-free interfaces, and (3) develop a design specification for a set of language translation tools that will allow limited but mission critical language translation for up to 3 operational scenarios. In Phase II, the development and testing of a prototype system in a realistic simulated environment will be undertaken."
Head-up Vessel Navigation Using Raster/Vector Data,DG133R-05-CN-1243,DOC,DOC,SBIR,2005,2,300000.00,"GMA INDUSTRIES, INC.","60 West Street, Suite 203",,Annapolis,MD,21401,Yes,No,No,Magdalena L. Wright,Vice President,4102676600,magda@gmai.com,Glenn Wright,President,4102676600,glenn@gmai.com,"This project entails a comprehensive approach to developing an innovative solution to heads-up display navigation for marine vessels that addresses the required hardware, the sources of raster and vector navigation and marine charting data, and the means to convey these data to watch standers on the bridge in a manner that enhances their performance. During Phase I we identify specific heads-up display system components suitable for use in the marine environment and capable of meeting the stringent operational requirements of vessel navigation. Raster and vector data sources for navigation, including radar contact information, and nautical charts are then considered by defining their scope, range, accuracy, and usefulness while minimizing clutter. We then create the software needed to integrate and display these data. A prototype demonstration system is developed during Phase I to illustrate our approach and validate our methods."
Terahertz Imaging System for Composite Material Assessment,N68335-05-C-0341,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,991775.00,"GMA INDUSTRIES, INC.","60 West Street, Suite 203",,Annapolis,MD,21401,Yes,No,No,R. G. Wright,President,4102676600,glenn@gmai.com,Ernest Keenan,Sr. Member of the Technic,4102676600,ern@gmai.com,"The goal of this project is to develop a terahertz-based instrument for performing Nondestructive Evaluation of composite structures that could be used during all phases of the life of the material. All phases of life of a composite part means - during manufacture (both pre- and post-cure), damage evaluation and bonded repair evaluation. Terahertz radiation, or ""T-ray"" imaging, offers a new approach for nondestructive evaluation (NDE) and detection of foreign objects in manually constructed composites. T-Rays possess many useful properties that prove advantageous over other NDE techniques. These characteristics include: the ability to ""see-through"" many opaque materials, non-ionizing emission, and no requirement for a coupling medium or index matching fluid. Furthermore, the coherent generation of the T-ray pulse permits multiple signal detection modes, including phase, amplitude, and spectral. A terahertz instrument has the potential for detecting a wide range of composite defects, including incipient heat damage, embedded debris, voids, delaminations, and blunt impact damage hidden beneath composite coatings such as paint and epoxy. This Phase II proposal focuses on addressing the technical challenges associated with developing new terahertz (THz) imaging techniques and constructing a field-testable prototype terahertz imaging device to be installed and tested at a composite manufacturing facility."
Collaborative Multidiscipline Digital Circuit Board Prognostics and Health Management,N68335-06-C-0092,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,80000.00,"GMA INDUSTRIES, INC.","60 West Street, Suite 203",,Annapolis,MD,21401,Yes,No,No,Magdalena L. Wright,Vice President,4102676600,magda@gmai.com,R. G. Wright,President,4102676600,glenn@gmai.com,"This proposal explores new methods that can improve the ability to accurately predict the useful life remaining for individual digital circuit boards at any particular point in time. The capability proposed herein will improve the system maintainers' ability to identify marginal circuit boards and components, and to replace them prior to their actual failure to ensure their mission is not compromised. Our approach to fulfill this opportunity encompasses new technology that will enable maintainers to visualize both electrical and physical changes within these digital circuit boards that are indicative of pending failure, long before their actual failure in the field. This approach utilizes imaging techniques that span the DC to the EHz range of the electromagnetic spectrum to provide insight into phenomena that can neither be detected nor modeled using today's conventional test program set (TPS) and automatic test equipment (ATE) technology. This technology is highly scaleable and can support extremely complex, densely populated digital circuit boards, and can easily be added to existing and newly developed TPSs and ATE to provide such capabilities in the future."
Automated Test Program Set Development using Integrated Circuit Electromagnetic Emissions,FA8201-05-P-0998,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"GMA INDUSTRIES, INC.","60 West Street, Suite 203",,Annapolis,MD,21401,Yes,No,No,Magdalena L. Wright,Vice President,4102676600,magda@gmai.com,R. G. Wright,Sr. Member of the Technical Staff,4102676600,glenn@gmai.com,"This proposal describes the automated development of a test program set utilizing electromagnetic emissions from integrated circuits to determine UUT operational status. Electromagnetic emissions from rapidly changing voltages and currents within high-speed logic and other circuits have traditionally been seen as a problematic source of electromagnetic interference that must be eliminated as much as possible. However, changes within these emissions can be a highly significant indicator that a failure has occurred within the IC as well as within adjacent circuit card paths. Further, the hardware and software requirements to capture and analyze these emissions are relatively simple in comparison to today's highly complex automatic test equipment, however this approach was previously not possible until the recent development of comprehensive analysis capability within common oscilloscopes and spectrum analyzers. Our approach requires basic power supplies, logic stimulus, programmable oscilloscope/spectrum analyzer, and simple probes with a test fixture having no active circuitry, as opposed to the large number of stimulus and response equipment commonly found in ATE. We present an approach towards capturing electromagnetic emission signatures through automated means, and ascribing failures to the circuit board as a whole, and to the individual circuit board components."
Laser-based Broadband Spectral Imaging for Failure Detection of Printed Circuit Boards and Components,FA8201-05-P-0997,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"GMA INDUSTRIES, INC.","60 West Street, Suite 203",,Annapolis,MD,21401,Yes,No,No,R. G. Wright,President,4102676600,glenn@gmai.com,Ernest Keenan,Sr. Member of the Technical Staff,4102676600,ern@gmai.com,"Electronic component failure occurs at three distinct levels: chip or device level, circuit board, and the interconnection between device and circuit board. Current non-invasive techniques for circuit board testing provide prognostic capabilities and replace the functional stimulus tests employed in electronic component performance evaluation. However, large variations in location, size and elemental composition of printed circuit board components present significant obstacles to comprehensive non-invasive testing of PCBs for failure. To address this problem, in Phase I we investigate and design a suite of multi-resolution, laser-based, non-invasive imaging techniques that utilizes a range of the frequency spectrum consistent with the requirements for probing at the resolutions indicated by the scale of component features. Each technique identifies and characterizes the material faults at a specific level (device, board, or junction) that contribute to failures. These techniques are complementary as they are laser based imaging techniques that expose various levels of resolution and failure modes that are not identifiable with any single technique. Phase II research involves the development of a prototype system containing these test technologies and is suitable for field-use."
Non-Intrusive 3-D Image Inspection of Multi-layer Printed Circuit Boards and Electronic Devices,FA8201-05-P-0996,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"GMA INDUSTRIES, INC.","60 West Street, Suite 203",,Annapolis,MD,21401,Yes,No,No,Magdalena L. Wright,Vice President,4102676600,magda@gmai.com,Glenn Wright,Sr. Member of the Technical Staff,4102676600,glenn@gmai.com,"This proposal describes efforts planned for the design and development of a non-intrusive method for the inspection of electronic systems and components using X-ray digital laminography and tomosynthesis. This approach provides a non-destructive means for the inspection of a device under test while enabling high fault coverage of all pins, which is especially applicable to today's aging electronic systems. Due to the increasing complexity of current printed circuit boards, there is a need for a more sophisticated and efficient method for the inspection and analysis of these devices. Herein lies a growing demand for a more technologically innovative images analysis system to meet these challenging advancements. X-ray inspection systems provide a non-destructive means for detecting defects in tracks, solder joints, solder fill, solder fill integrity, component misalignment, component misplacement, opens and shorts. During Phase I we create a design for our proposed approach, addressing requirements associated with materials, components, interface requirements, limitations, and expected performance criteria. In addition, we develop a functional prototype of the system to demonstrate the viability of our approach for further development during Phase II."
Image Intensified Lightweight Lens Development,H92222-05-C-0029,DOD,SOCOM,SBIR,2005,2,738000.00,"GRAFLEX, INC.","1281 N. Ocean Drive Suite 201, Singer Is",,Riviera Beach,FL,33404,Yes,No,No,Howard B. Ganther,President,5618424060,Graflex@aol.com,Howard B. Ganther,President,5618424060,Graflex@aol.com,"Design,develop, fabricate and test sample a series of Image Intensifierd lightweight lenses, fixed focal length and stepped zoom, for direct viewing and Low Light Level TV video applications, Fixed Focal Length ratings of 225mm f1.7 and 360mm f2.7 along with a 80mm f1.7/225mm f1.7/360mm f2.7 stepped zoom to be provided. Provide suitable image intensified test bed equipments for comparative evaluation and field testing for both direct viewing and video applications"
LV Volume Determinations: Mouse to Clinical Applications,1R43HL081959-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,286571.00,"GWATHMEY, INC.","GWATHMEY, INC.",763 E CONCORD AVE,CAMBRIDGE,MA,02138 1044,Yes,Yes,No,Judith Gwathmey,,6174910022,JGWATHMEY@GWATHMEY.COM,Judith K. Gwathmey,,6174910022,GWATHMEY@EARTHLINK.NET,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Determination of accurate instantaneous left ventricle (LV) volume is an important tool in drug and device discovery for congestive heart failure. First generation conductance instruments generate as instantaneous conductance (volume) signal composed of blood and myocardium even at a single low frequency. However, only the blood component is desired. Classic methods used to assess the hemodynamic phenotype in mammals are through LV pressure - volume relations. Due to the small size of the mouse heart and fast heart rate determining absolute and instantaneous volume of the LV has not been possible. We propose a mechanism to overcome this limitation. Complex Conductance (Admittance) measures both the magnitude of LV blood and myocardial conductance, as well as the phase angle of myocardial conductance. We propose that Complex Conductance offers a better method to determine and remove the instantaneous myocardial contribution to LV blood volume determinations. Our GOALS are to create a Complex Conductance Instrument that reports instantaneous LV volume that is accurate and reliable. The instrument will allow for the first time between animal comparisons as well as between patient comparisons. Our device will be compared during Phase 2 studies with traditional conductance instruments as well as MRI, the gold standard for static derivation of LV volume. Long term we plan to commercialize our devices to three markets 1) as a telemetered system in mice; 2) for use in larger animals both telemetered and non-telemetered e.g. dog, pig, sheep, and primates; and 3) for clinical use by physicians to determine whether new medications and surgical procedures are primarily increasing myocardial contractility or reducing preload and afterload in patients with congestive heart failure. Our SPECIFIC AIM is to develop an instrument and algorithms to derive instantaneous LV volume from Complex Conductance (Admittance) measurements."
Web-Based Fire Safety Training for Board and Care Staff,1R43AG026193-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,99954.00,HARRINGTON SOFTWARE ASSOCIATES,HARRINGTON SOFTWARE ASSOCIATES,7431 WILSON RD,WARRENTON,VA,20186,Yes,No,No,Susan Harrington,,5403498074,SUSAN@HSAINC.NET,Susan S. Harrington,,5403498074,SUSAN@HSAINC.NET,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of the proposed research is to reduce the incidence of fire-related deaths and injuries in board and care facilities for the elderly through the development and distribution of a comprehensive and validated web-based training program. Older adults in small residential board and care facilities are at a particularly high risk of fire death and injury. Research has shown that lack of training is one of leading factors contributing to loss of life in fires in these facilities. This project will make important contributions toward reducing fire deaths and injuries by providing facilities with ways to expand training opportunities. Web technology is currently underutilized despite the great promise that it offers and the enormous need for training that exists. Web-based training can reduce many of the existing barriers for delivering training, allowing providers to complete the program at their own facilities to receive continuing education credits from their state licensing agencies. A comprehensive, interactive web-based fire safety training program will give caregivers the knowledge and skills they need to prevent fire and to respond correctly in a fire emergency. The program will include interaction, animation, video, graphics and narration to create a media-rich learning environment. This project will measure the short and long-term effects of web-based fire safety training on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of board and care owners, operators, and staff through Phase I pilot testing and a Phase II national field test."
HMSI CyberCollaborator for Integrated Hazard Management,W9132T-05-C-0035,DOD,ARMY,STTR,2005,1,100000.00,"Hazard Management Systems, Inc.",2508 Waterbury Place,,Champaign,IL,61822,Yes,No,No,Barbara Minsker,Owner,2174174198,minskerconsulting@insightbb.com,Barbara Minsker,President,2174174198,minskerconsulting@insightbb.com,"This project will demonstrate the feasibility of a new technology, called HMSI CyberCollaborator, for integrated hazard management. HMSI CyberCollaborator will enable collaborators to efficiently discuss and share information, data, and modeling results, whether they are in the same location or across the country. Prototype technology created at the University of Illinois will be adapted to this purpose and an iterative requirements gathering process will identify essential features for implementation in Phase II. A demonstration of the technology will be created by coupling the system with widely adopted data management and simulation models from Haested Methods and Power World. Realistic disaster scenarios will be created for hypothetical power and water networks and implemented within HMSI CyberCollaborator. This will enable potential customers to envision how it will improve situational awareness and decision making both on a day-to-day basis and during a crisis. The demonstration will be shared with a number of potential utility and government customers to obtain feedback on the system. Potential markets and market dynamics for each of four potential classes of customers (water utilities, power utilities, major utility customers, and government agencies) will be assessed, with the objective of describing the commercial potential for HMSI CyberCollaborator and the mechanisms that can be used to enter these markets."
Investigation of Virtual Digital Human and Robotic Device Technology Merger Complimented by Haptics and Autostereoscopic Displays,NNJ05JE76C,NASA,NASA,STTR,2005,2,599979.00,"HPN Software Consultant, Inc.","18519 Egret Bay, Suite 1509",,Houston,TX,77058 3353,Yes,Yes,Yes,Heidi Nguyen,President,2813333846,heidi.nguyen1@jsc.nasa.gov,lac nguyen,Principal Investigator,2814833876,lac.nguyen1@jsc.nasa.gov,"As expected, the STTR Phase I investigation confirmed that the Digital Virtual Human (DVH) and Robonaut technologies can be merged, and that haptic and autostereoscopic technologies can be integrated in the robotic control systems, effectively and productively. This feasibility study verified and validated interactions of Robonaut with the DVH in operator response to and performance with haptic devices and autostereoscopic displays. Phase II will focus on developing two significant components from the Phase I effort for marketing and distribution in Phase III. The Collaborative-Virtual Environment Software Toolkit (C-VEST) will provide software developers a potent development toolkit with which to build and maintain 3D/VR applications and simulations. As a result of Phase II, the C-VEST product will be able to interface with immersive simulation (motion capture, manipulation, navigational, and advanced display) hardware not easily implemented in current commercial or academic 3D/VR software. The second product emanating from this Phase II project will be the OpticFlex full-body fiber-optic-based motion-capture system. This system will comprise a significant part of the Phase II and subsequently Phase III commercialization preparation effort."
Dual Hybrid Glass Non-Polymer Coatings for Optical Fibers,N68335-05-C-0152,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,969289.00,"HYBRID GLASS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.",Princeton Corporate Plaza,"1 Deer park Drive, Suite I","Monmouth Junction,NJ",NJ,08852 1663,Yes,No,No,Anna Wojcik,President,7323298087,awojcik@hybridglass.com,Anna Wojcik,President,7323298087,awojcik@hybridglass.com,"Non-polymer hybrid glass coatings have been demonstrated in Phase I to potentially offer both higher strength and long term reliability for silica glass-based optical fibers while at the same time requiring less volume and reduced cost. Moreover, the coatings are capable of operation to temperatures above 300 C without evidence of degradation. Phase II will utilize on-line fiber coating, optical and mechanical characterization of km + fiber lengths coupled with environmental/ humidity/temperature studies to optimize and select primary and secondary coating compositions. Telcordia industry standards for fiber reliability and performance will serve as the guidelines for the preliminary testing. Final selection will be contingent on successful coating performance when tested for the extended regime anticipated for aerospace applications. A selected fiber manufacturer will apply successful coating candidate on optical fibers and the fabricated fiber will be subsequently cabled according to the Prime Contractor design."
Robotic Arm,FA8501-05-C-0046,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,749245.00,"HYDRAULICS INTERNATIONAL, INC.",9201 Independence Avenue,,Chatsworth,CA,91311,Yes,No,No,Jeff Riley,General Manager,8189981231,jeff@hiinet.com,Steve Stanley,Program Manager,8189981231,steves@hiifsu.com,"In recent years, the USAF recognized an increased need for the design, manufacture, and supply of technologically advanced and operationally efficient Munitions Handling Units commonly called ""Bomb Loaders"" or ""Jammers"". HII is working to design a robotic arm and end effector system that upgrades present-day MHU technology rather than trying to replace the entire MHU-83 unit. This technology will increase operability and safety while decreasing aircraft turn-around time."
Innovative Surface Feature Extraction for Visualization using LIDAR Intensity and Co-registered Optical Data,N61339-05-C-0019,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,79405.00,"HyPerspectives, Inc.",2048 Analysis Drive,Suite C,Bozeman,MT,59718 6829,Yes,No,No,Marc Richards,Executive Director,4065569880,richards@hyperspectives.net,Robert Crabtree,Chief Scientist,4065569880,crabtree@hyperspectives.net,"Pre-mission rehearsal using 3D, simulated fly throughs derived from remotely sensed data can signicantly enhance warfighter safety and efficiency. Because of its great potential for extracting the location, orientation, identification, and elevation profile of surface features, LIDAR (light ranging and detection) data provide an excellent information base for creating these simulated visualizations. The proposed work will demonstrate the feasibility of using both LIDAR signal return timing and, uniquely, signal intensity to extract surface features. The work will be based on the ELF (Extracting LIDAR Features) algorithms, currently under development by HyPerspectives scientists. The ELF algorithms employ intensity data for scene classification into vegetated and non-vegetated regions, then employ a unique search procedure for feature identification and characterization. The work also will show feasibilty of co-registering high resolution optical spectra to the LIDAR scenes. When used in conjunction with LIDAR, high resolution optical sensors (e.g., hyperspectral) can provide valuable and highly complementary data for surface feature identification and characterization. Phase I proof of concept efforts will employ single return LIDAR, seek to extract three terrain features (buildings, vegetated patches, non-vegetated ground), and require user input for selecting the original input grid search size. In the Phase I Option, we will automate the ELF algorithm search procedures and, like Phase I, benchmark performance for incorporating the extracted data into a visual database. Manual co-registration of optical data will be shown for a single scene in Phase I, then automated in Phase II."
Modeling and Simulation Technologies for Multi-Sensor Dynamic Targeting,FA8650-05-C-1824,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,749985.00,"HYPERCOMP, INC.",2629 TOWNSGATE RD STE 105,,WESTLAKE VILLAGE,CA,91361-2702,Yes,Yes,No,Vijaya Shankar,Vice President,8188653713,vshankar@hypercomp.net,Vijaya Shankar,Vice President,8188653713,vshankar@hypercomp.net,"Under sponsorship from the Sensors Directorate at AFRL, HyPerComp has significantly advanced the state of the art of time-domain, broad band electromagnetic simulations. The TEMPUS (Time-Domain ElectroMagnetic Parallel Unstructured Simulator) environment is a self contained code suite that includes computer aided design (CAD) geometry creation and repair, unstructured gridding for full-scale targets with general materials, scalable parallel code architecture, higher-order accurate discontinuous Galerkin solvers for Maxwell's equations, and post processing utilities for solution visualization and extraction of final results like bistatic and monostatic radar cross section (RCS), synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, and high-range-resolution (HRR) profiles. TEMPUS is fast maturing to provide accurate solutions to all aspects of physics-based phenomenological scattering features. In view of the current demonstrated capabilities of TEMPUS and its planned role as a full wave solution-based critical electromagnetics technology for DoD, HyPerComp proposes a Phase II activity to continue development of TEMPUS in four major areas: 1)Improve the functionality of current TEMPUS to make it reliable and user friendly, 2) optimize the implementation of some of the existing modules and perform further validation, 3) formulate and implement new capabilities within TEMPUS, and 4) direct support to AFRL in the installation and application of TEMPUS."
Physical Model Development and Benchmarking for MHD Flows in Blanket Design,DE-FG02-04ER83977,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,2,652500.00,"HYPERCOMP, INC.",2629 TOWNSGATE RD STE 105,,WESTLAKE VILLAGE,CA,91361-2702,Yes,Yes,No,Vijaya Shankar,Dr.,8188653713,vshankar@hypercomp.net,Ramakanth Munipalli,Dr.,8188653718,mrk@hypercomp.net,"75909S A simulation environment, named HIMAG, is under development for modeling incompressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows relevant to blanket conditions in fusion reactors. This project addresses two important components of this development: (1) incorporating such physical phenomena as turbulence and extending capabilities beyond fluid flow prediction to the modeling of heat transfer with natural convection and mass transfer, including tritium transport and permeation; and (2) designing a sequence of tests to establish code competence for several classes of physical phenomena. In Phase I, a sequence of benchmark problems were studied for single-phase MHD, and strategies were developed to overcome certain key limitations in HIMAG. A two-equation turbulence model was added to the code and preliminary tests were performed. Graphical interfaces were developed to assist a novice user in in learning the code. Phase II will: (1) incorporate recent advances in MHD fluid flow (eg. turbulence, heat transfer with natural convection, and mass transfer including tritium transport and permeation); (2) perform a set of validation exercises to enhance confidence in the accuracy of the code┐s predictive capability; and (3) transition HIMAG into a physical module, with this module serving the function of predicting MHD fluid flow and heat and mass transfer. Commercial Applications And Other Benefits as described by the awardee: While the breadth of issues dealing with liquid metal MHD has been rather vast, there is no accepted test cases to which the fusion community is uniformly receptive. In addition to providing these test cases, the new code should find use in metallurgical applications, and MHD-based flow control in aeronautics."
Air to Ground Signature Database Development Technologies for Combat Identification,FA8650-05-M-1883,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"HYPERCOMP, INC.",2629 TOWNSGATE RD STE 105,,WESTLAKE VILLAGE,CA,91361-2702,Yes,Yes,No,Vijaya Shankar,Vice President,8188653713,vshankar@hypercomp.net,Vijaya Shankar,Vice President,8188653713,vshankar@hypercomp.net,"Accurate prediction of scattering and radiation behavior for broadband (tens of MHz to 20 GHz)) electromagnetic illumination over stationary and mobile ground targets with realistic material treatments in general terrain settings is a critical technology for Combat Identification (CID). The complete problem that needs to be modeled for air-to-ground signature database is electrically very large since one will have to consider all the interactions of incident illumination through foliage penetration, multibounces from the lossy ground plane, various ground scenes, and the ground target. Based on HyPerComp's strengths in CAD modeling and repair, and in high order algorithms for time-domain Maxwell's equations, we plan to team up with SAIC-DEMACO and propose to link TEMPUS (Time-Domain EM Parallel Unstructured Simulator) with clutter model routines and the high frequency Xpatch code through a hybridization process called CrossFlux to provide phenomenology modeling of scattering from stationary and moving ground targets."
Robotic Vehicle Spectro-Polarimeter,W56HZV-05-C-0095,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,115964.00,I Technology Applications,2663 Wayside Drive,,Ann Arbor,MI,48103,Yes,Yes,Yes,Robert E. Sampson,President,7347613174,resampsonita@aol.com,Robert E. Sampson,President,7346042733,resampsonita@aol.com,"Robotic vehicle applications requires significant information about the nature of the terrain and objects ahead. Spectral and polarization measurements in addition to normal intensity information provides the kind of information needed for real time decision making for robotic vehicle control and target detection and identification. This proposal is for a sensor that provides spatial, spectral, and polarization data sets simultaneously in real time. This proposed Phase 1 SBIR project builds on developments at the University if Arizona's Optical Detection Laboratory and will provide the most versatile and capable sensor developed to date."
Flexible and Safe Control of Mobile Surface Systems,NNC05CA79C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,"IA Tech, Inc.",10501 Kinnard Avenue,,Los Angeles,CA,90024 0601,Yes,Yes,No,Ann T. Tai,President,3104743568,tai@ia-tech.com,Kam S. Tso,,3104743568,tso@ia-tech.com,"The primary innovation of this work is a novel Petri net based approach for safe and flexible control of highly capable mobile surface systems, such as long-duration science rovers, crew surface systems, multi-robot and human-robot teams. The traditional approach of time-based sequence of commands will not be adequate for commanding and coordinating those surface systems because it does not support concurrent tasks and team coordination. Those surface systems will best be supported by a state-based control architecture that explicitly models the states and their interactions. Petri net is a mature and flexible formalism for representing such a state-based control architecture. This research will develop novel Petri net based techniques to enable 1) explicit modeling and control of concurrent tasks, team coordination, and mode switching, and 2) dynamic reconfiguration of a Petri net during its execution to support onboard planning and human/robot interactions. The result of the proposed effort will be a Petri net based executive that can be integrated into a robot planning and control system for flexible and safe control of mobile surface systems. In addition, a graphical tool will also be developed to enable operators to visualize, edit, and analyze the Petri nets."
Component-Based QoS-Driven Synthesis of High Assurance Embedded Software,NNA05AC22C,NASA,NASA,STTR,2005,1,100000.00,"IA Tech, Inc.",10501 Kinnard Avenue,,Los Angeles,CA,90024 0601,Yes,Yes,No,Ann T. Tai,President,3104743568,tai@ia-tech.com,Ann T. Tai,Principal Investigator,3104743568,tai@ia-tech.com,"Software is an integral part of many complex embedded systems, such as avionics, scientific exploration, and on-board systems. However, poor software reliability is a major impediment to the success of these mission-critical systems. Testing, formal verification, and code synthesis techniques have been proposed to achieve more reliable software, with automated code synthesis being the most promising method. But synthesizing a complex system from scratch is costly. A more practical approach is to synthesize systems from existing components, i.e., component-based system synthesis (CBSS). Existing research in CBSS focuses on synthesizing systems bottom-up, which has severe limitations. We propose to achieve CBSS by combining the top-down and bottom-up approaches. Specifically, we develop techniques to achieve automated system decomposition and semi-automated system architecture synthesis. The IDEAL decomposition technique decomposes a system into ``IDEAL' units that are mathematically composable and can be developed and evolved independently. Consequently, the technique assures system reliability and enables on-the-fly feature/technology upgrades. The QoS-based architecture synthesis technique seeks to assure system QoS properties by synthesizing an architecture that optimizes QoS objectives. It also facilitates on-board system adaptation due to resource and power constraints. Combined with bottom-up techniques, such as Amphion and pattern-based code synthesis, a dramatic"
Modulating Vocal Effort Levels of Speech Signals for Distance Cueing,FA9550-05-C-0089,DOD,USAF,STTR,2005,1,99999.00,"IC TECH, INC.","4295 Okemos Road, Suite 100",,Okemos,MI,48864,Yes,No,No,Gail Erten,President,5173499000,erten@ic-tech.com,Gail Erten,President,5173499000,erten@ic-tech.com,"Auditory displays that encode spatial audio cues have advanced significantly in recent years, yet, their ability to convey the distance between a sound source and the listener remains limited. This Phase I SBIR project proposes to investigate algorithms capable of adding distance cues to natural and synthesized speech. The particular approach involves manipulation the speaker's vocal effort, which is the quantity that ordinary speakers vary when they adapt their speech to the demands of an increased or decreased communication distance. Vocal effort impacts several time and frequency domain characteristics of a speech signal, such as mean and range of the fundamental frequency, certain formant frequencies, sound pressure level, duration of vowels, length of pauses, and spectral emphasis. Phase I work will start with defining vocal effort level zones and corresponding speech signal characteristics, with relative and absolute distance correspondences to the listener. This will be followed by the design and implementation of signal transforms that detect these characteristics in arbitrary speech inputs and manipulate them for producing outputs with the desired vocal effort level. These modules will be tested and validated by subjective evaluation, e.g., listening tests. A demonstration is planned at the end of the nine-month project."
Distance Learning for Home Modifications,2R44AG021817-02A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,736452.00,"IDEAS, INC.","IDEAS, INC.",8055 CHARDON RD,KIRTLAND,OH,44094,Yes,No,No,Margaret Calkins,,4402561880,MCALKINS@IDEASCONSULTINGINC.COM,Margaret P. Calkins,,4402561880,mcalkins@ideasconsultinginc.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this project is to develop and test the feasibility of a series of online educational modules that provide practical information on home modifications for older adults with sensory, mobility, physical and cognitive impairments. Modifying a home through remodeling, adding adaptive hardware, or changing the arrangement of objects is an important intervention strategy to manage chronic health care conditions, maintain or improve functioning, increase independence, ensure safety of frail older adults who experience functional limitations, and minimize the cost of personal care services. A major reason for the limited implementation of home modifications throughout the U.S. is not a lack of carpenters or construction people to implement the modifications, but rather the lack of individuals in social service agencies, particularly in non-urban areas, who have the knowledge to prescribe the appropriate modifications. Distance learning is an effective way to educate service providers to enable them to prescribe home modifications as part of a comprehensive, multi-dimensional strategy tailored to the specific needs of older adults. In Phase I a course on home modifications to compensate for cognitive impairments, such as Alzheimer's disease and related dementias was successfully developed and tested in a self-study and an interactive format. Test of knowledge tests showed some significant learning, and both formats were highly rated by students. In Phase II, we will develop and assess an additional 4 courses: Home modifications for people with sensory loss; home modifications for wheelchair users; home modifications for people with gait and upper body limitations; and home modifications to reduce falls risk. Course evaluation will be expanded to include a 2 month follow-up with students on their use of material learned in the courses. Phase III will include an aggressive marketing plan to make the courses readily available to a broad range of social service agency personnel, contractors, and others engaged in home modifications."
"Delivery of Cost-Effective, Real Time, Remote Transcription Services",H133S050129,ED,ED,SBIR,2005,2,499998.00,"Institute for Disabilities Research and Training, Inc.",11323 Amherst Avenue,,silver spring,MD,20902-4695,Yes,No,No,Carl J. Jensema,,3019424326,carl@idrt.com,Carl J. Jensema,,3019424326,carl@idrt.com,"The project focuses on establishing a low-cost, school-operated, remote real-time transcription service for students with disabilities using speech recognition technology, off-the-shelf equipment and commonly available software. Phase I demonstrated the feasibility of this concept. In Phase II, the concept is expanded and refined through a transcription service for students with disabilities. The resultant training materials are used to develop a commercial product that allows other school systems to set up transcription services for students with disabilities."
"Delivery of Cost-Effective, Real Time, Remote Transcription Services",H133S050129,ED,ED,SBIR,2005,2,499999.00,"Institute for Disabilities Research and Training, Inc.",11323 Amherst Avenue,,silver spring,MD,20902-4695,Yes,No,No,Carl Jensema,PD,3019424439,carl@idrt.com,Carl J. Jensema,PD,3019424326,carl@idrt.com,"Development of a low-cost, school-operated, remote real-time transcription service for students with disabilities using speech recognition technology, off-the-shelf equipment, and commonly available software"
Advanced Electric Plant Monitoring System Tool (ADEPT),N00024-05-C-4173,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,580065.00,IMAGINE ONE TECHNOLOGY & MANAGEMENT LTD.,907 McKINNEY BLVD.,,COLONIAL BEACH,VA,22443 2443,Yes,Yes,Yes,Reynald Bald,Senior Vice President,8042241555,RBald@imagine-one.com,John K. Stenard,Senior Engineer,7275277478,JStenard@imagine-one.com,"The overall focus is on developing software to monitor the electrical system aboard a warship. A laboratory facility will be established to model the electrical system of a modern aircraft carrier, in order to faciltate software development, testing, and verification without burdening a national defense asset. The model will use both hardware and software components, either stimulated or simulated to behave as the shipboard equipment behaves. A networked array of sensors, some of which are to be developed, will monitor key varaibles of the system, including phase voltage, amperage, power quality, breaker state, and transformer core temperature. Various display modes will be avialble, including a traditional mimic bus format to promote quick user familiarity and readiness, plus various tailorable pull-down menus with extensive, detailed information as may be desired from time to time. A data capture feature will be developed to provide post-casualty fault analysis and troubleshooting."
Field Deployable Diagnostic Test for Active Cutaneous Leishmania and a Test for Latent Infection,W81XWH-05-C-0018,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119515.00,"INBIOS INTERNATIONAL, INC.","562 1ST AVE. SOUTH, SUITE 600",,SEATTLE,WA,98104-3829,Yes,No,No,Syamal Raychaudhuri,Chief Scientific Officer,2063445821,raychaud@inbios.com,Raymond Houghton,Senior Scientist,2063445821,raymond@inbios.com,The proposed immunochromatographic diagnostic test would be a useful rapid diagnostic test for the direct detection of Leishmania parasites responsible for cutaneous leishmaniasis in soldiers exhibiting skin lesions. It would have application in detecting Leishmania parasites directly from needle aspirates/swabs of skin lesions in a field environment hence facilitating accurate treatment. The major advantage of this diagnostic methodology is that is it is non invasive and provides rapid (
Development of rapid detection tests for B pseudomallei,1R43AI066647-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,975862.00,"INBIOS INTERNATIONAL, INC.","562 1ST AVE. SOUTH, SUITE 600",,SEATTLE,WA,98104-3829,Yes,No,No,,,2063445821,,Raymond Houghton,,2063445821,raymond@inbios.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Gram negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei causes human melioidosis, a rapidly progressing and frequently fatal disease if not treated early. It is endemic in areas of NE Thailand, Southeast Asia and northern parts of Australia and is listed as a Category B agent of potential bioterrorist threats. Antibiotic treatment is difficult and prolonged with significant relapse rates and there is currently no vaccine available for protection of naturally or intentionally exposed individuals. Accurate tests for the rapid detection of this organism in blood samples and other clinical materials are needed to guide the critical early phases of clinical management but are not currently available. It is the purpose of this application to identify antigens specific to B. pseudomallei and use these to generate monoclonal antibodies for inclusion in a rapid field test for antigen detection particularly in acute infections. In addition, these antigens can be used directly to develop specific immunoblots for evaluating antibody responses in acute and chronic phases of disease. To achieve these goals, InBios (experienced in commercial development of rapid diagnostic assays) has brought together a team of experts in the UK with access to an animal model system for melioidosis with a group in Northeastern Thailand with access to clinical samples enabling Phase 1 field testing of the prototype assays produced. These tools will be invaluable in detecting and monitoring acute and chronic B. pseudomallei infections both in endemic areas as well as following a bioterrorist attack."
Rapid Immunoassay for the Detection of the Bacterium Producing Necrotizing Hepatopancreatitis in Cultured Penaeid Shrimp,2005-33610-15599,USDA,USDA,SBIR,2005,1,79601.00,"INBIOS INTERNATIONAL, INC.","562 1ST AVE. SOUTH, SUITE 600",,SEATTLE,WA,98104-3829,Yes,No,No,Raymond Houghton,,2063445821,raymond@inbios.com,Raymond Houghton,,2063445821,raymond@inbios.com,The rapid test developed here will provide for improved detection of NHP bacterial infections in the field. This in turn will have economic consequences by enabling shrimp farmers to more rapidly respond to and contain infections.
Development of a multiplexed point-of-care assay for the detection of infectious agents causing fever in deployed soldiers.,W81XWH-06-C-0095,DOD,OSD,SBIR,2005,1,99964.00,"INBIOS INTERNATIONAL, INC.","562 1ST AVE. SOUTH, SUITE 600",,SEATTLE,WA,98104-3829,Yes,No,No,Estela Figueroa,President,2063445821,inbios@aol.com,Syamal Raychaudhuri,Chief Scientific Officer,2063445821,raychaud@inbios.com,"This objective of this study is to develop a robust, field-grade, screening assay for the detection of fever-causing pathogens including Plasmodium sp., Salmonella, Rickettsial sp., Flaviviruses and Leptospira. The test will utilize lateral flow (dipstick) chromatography incorporated into a unique, multiplex, cassette that enables the simultaneous screening of multiple analytes. The proposed immunochromatographic assay would be a very useful rapid screening test to assess individuals presenting with fevers of likely infectious etiology. In this Phase 1 study we shall evaluate the ability of a panel of antigens, derived from the families of pathogens listed above, to function as the basis of a serological detection system. We will then construct a prototype assay that will be evaluated against sera from individuals with confirmed infections. Further development of the assay would take place in a Phase 2 proposal."
SBIR Phase II: Use of a Visual Programming Environment to Promote Bioinformatics Education,0450526,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,2,500000.00,"INCOGEN, INC.","INCOGEN, INC.",104 George Perry,WILLIAMSBURG,VA,23185-5153,Yes,No,No,Heather D. Sasinowska,Ms,7572210550,heather@incogen.com,Maciek Sasinowski,Dr,7572210117,maciek@incogen.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to provide a tool to improve bioinformatics education. This tool, VIBE-Ed, is a software product designed to augment bioinformatics at the college and university level by creating an interactive, integrated, and comprehensive approach to bioinformatics education using visual programming. During the Phase I project, INCOGEN demonstrated that its existing research tool, VIBE, provides an excellent foundation for an educational tool given its inherent technological attributes. VIBE employs visual programming for bioinformatics, and in this respect, VIBE-Ed will provide a novel approach to bioinformatics classroom instruction. The Phase I work demonstrated the effectiveness of visual programming in the learning process. In addition to visual programming, the architecture of VIBE supports the inclusion of extensive information about the bioinformatics tools contained therein, making VIBE-Ed well suited to host the large and complex amount of resources and documentation required by an educational tool. Finally, VIBE was created to be extensible, allowing it to be naturally extended into VIBE-Ed. As the bioinformatics community discovers and validates new analysis tools, these can easily be incorporated into VIBE-Ed, along with the educational features to support them. Bioinformatics education is a growing field, driven by the great need for trained bioinformaticists in biological and biomedical research. Recent years have witnessed notable increases in the number of bioinformatics courses and degree programs at colleges and universities worldwide. Textbooks and lectures alone do not expose bioinformatics students to hands-on data analysis and, by themselves, they are insufficient for bioinformatics education. Despite the growing trend in bioinformatics education and the need for educationally focused tools, there is a significant lack of commercially available software tools specifically designed for bioinformatics education. Currently, bioinformatics instructors fill this gap by using either complicated and expensive research tools or collections of web-based tools. Bioinformatics research software is often cost prohibitive for an educational application, and the software itself is geared toward experts in the field rather than toward students. Web-based tools are often free of charge, but they are also frequently dispersed throughout the web, requiring excessive time and sometimes also requiring programming skill to combine the use of several tools. Many of the tools are not accompanied by instruction or related conceptual information, making them less suitable for education. VIBE-Ed successfully addresses these concerns and promises to have immediate impact on bioinformatics education and, ultimately, in knowledge discovery on life science research."
"Strategic applications of design and planning software to key shipbuilding areas, including surface preparation and coating",N00014-05-C-0192,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,449973.00,"INDUSTRIAL PLANNING TECHNOLOGY, INC.",509 Twin Lakes Drive,,Titusville,FL,32780 2780,Yes,No,No,Lyn Merritt,President,4238951007,info@planning-technology.com,Patrick W. Rourke,Chief Technology Officer,4238951062,prourke@planning-technology.com,"This project evaluated the feasibility of developing software to address the following problems: (1) analysis, simulation, design and planning of insulation, surface preparation, and coating of ships, and (2) integration of automatic planning and design tools with the popular Ship Constructor CAD package. Tools to support estimating and planning of shipboard surface preparation and coating have not kept pace with computer-based design practices and just-in-time manufacturing requirements. The result is higher than necessary ship construction costs. For Naval vessels, a large number of surfaces must be covered with thermal and/or acoustic insulation. This requires additional more specialized tools to support estimating and planning. Small yards cannot afford to pay for custom software integration. In order to bring the benefits of automatic construction planning software to small yards, this project proposes to interface the popular low cost ShipConstructor AutoCAD based package with SmartPlan-ShipsT, an automatic planning and design detailing software engine for ship outfitting. ShipConstructor is used by most second tier shipyards in the U.S., and by a number of yards worldwide. ShipConstructor is also being used by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems on the Coast Guard deep-water program and is being used on the LCS program."
Creating the Industry-Wide Virtual Pipe Shop with STEP Software,N65538-05-M-0161,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,69996.00,"INDUSTRIAL PLANNING TECHNOLOGY, INC.",509 Twin Lakes Drive,,Titusville,FL,32780 2780,Yes,No,No,Lyn Merritt,President,4238951007,info@planning-technology.com,Patrick W. Rourke,Chief Technology Officer,4238951062,prourke@planning-technology.com,"Subcontracting between shipyards can reduce total construction costs through workload leveling and maximum use of available automated equipment Shipyards are subcontracting piping work now, but only using paper drawings, which adds substantial time delay, costs, and sources of error. For Naval vessels, piping represents more than 25% of ship construction costs. ISO STEP standards exist which can completely define the data needed to manufacture piping. Some CAD systems can export these STEP files now. The problem is that there is no software available for pipe shops to receive and make use of this data. Industrial Planning Technology proposes to solve this system support technology problem with a collection of software tools that: (1) Simplify and speed up pipe fabrication subcontracting by generating complete pipe shop ordering, estimating, scheduling, and control data from STEP piping files. (2) Provide complete high fidelity simulation checking of all pipe shop operations. (3) Add STEP piping import capability to an existing commercial pipe shop direct numerical control system. (4) Provide standard piping data export from the ShipConstructorT CAD package. (5) Provide a generic C++ toolkit to reduce the costs of constructing software that uses the STEP piping data format."
SBIR Phase I: Power System Restoration - The Graceful Degradation Phase,0439603,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,1,99998.00,IRD Corporation,8190 Inverness Ridge Road,,Potomac,MD,20854 0401,Yes,No,No,Mahmood M. Adibi,Mr,3012998397,madibird@aol.com,Mahmood M. Adibi,Mr,3012998397,madibird@aol.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project investigates controlled islanding of power system during major disturbances. Most power system faults occur on high- and extra high-voltage transmission lines due to their vulnerability arising from their exposed lengths. The majority of these faults, such as those caused by lightning, are temporary and of short duration. These faults are rapidly cleared leaving the power system in an unfaulted condition. However, during the short fault duration, the electrical output of generators' decrease, while the mechanical input to the generators remain practically constant. The effect of the torque imbalance is for the groups of generators to accelerate at different rates and to ""swing"" with respect to one another. If not quickly corrected they may lose synchronism, forming imbalance load-generation islands, and consequently resulting in blackouts. The proposed online real-time methodology has the potential of avoiding the formation of imbalance load-generation islands thus reducing the possibility, extent and duration of blackouts. The impact of prolonged blackouts on the public, on the economy, and on the power system itself makes rapid effective controlled islanding very important. An effective system separation reduces the impact of an outage on customers and on the economy of affected area while reducing the possibility of damage to equipment."
Computer-Assisted Violence Prevention in Kindergarten,2R44MH063617-02A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,871337.00,"INFLEXXION, INC.","320 NEEDHAM STREET, SUITE 100",,NEWTON,MA,02464-1593,Yes,No,No,Susan Budman,,6173326028,SUSANBUDMAN@INFLEXXION.COM,Michael S. Davis,,6173326028,MDAVIS@INFLEXXION.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application proposes development of the Comprehensive Affective Training (CAT) program, an interactive, multimedia-based prevention curriculum for Pre-K and Kindergarten age children. The need for this product arises from the alarming prevalence of violence and other delinquent behaviors in American society. Children with inadequate social and emotional knowledge early in life tend to be rejected by peers, which, in turn, places them at greater risk for the development of entrenched, violence-prone patterns of thought and behavior. To avoid this developmental trajectory, experts advocate the creation of prevention programming focusing on social and emotional skills during the preschool years. However, mostly due to cost and extensive training requirements, the vast majority of Pre-K and Kindergarten age children do not have access to this type of programming. To help address this issue, the current application proposes combining the latest findings and theories on emotional knowledge with multimedia computer technology. The child-focused program will be delivered through an engaging format involving animation and video, as well as personalized feedback and adjunct follow-up exercises to be conducted by parents and teachers. Also intended for parents and teachers, the adult component will consist of a series of audio files demonstrating sample adult-child, ""emotion coaching"" dialogues delivered over the phone or internet. The Phase II development effort will include a stimulus validation study, a series of usability studies, and production of the final program. The final program will then be subject to an experimental field trial in a school-based setting, an exploratory situational study examining use of the CAT program in a home-based setting, and acceptance testing involving teachers, parents, and children."
CD-ROM to Improve Parent Management of Child Bedwetting,2R44HD044360-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,798302.00,"INFLEXXION, INC.","320 NEEDHAM STREET, SUITE 100",,NEWTON,MA,02464-1593,Yes,No,No,,,6173326028,,Jonas I. Bromberg,,6173326028,JBROMBERG@INFLEXXION.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant):
This project will develop and test an interactive CD-ROM bedwetting intervention program for children (ages 6 to11) and their parents. The program will provide parents and children (in separate developmentally appropriate modules) with psycho-education about the problem of bedwetting and a suite of tools to help them implement and follow through with a personalized, multi-component behavioral intervention program. While enuresis is a physical problem, optimal management is through learning-based behavioral treatment. Multi-component behavioral interventions offer the highest rates of long-term treatment success, lowest rates of relapse, and do not expose children to the significant risks associated with pharmacological treatment. There are many compelling arguments for treating enuretic children, including the prevention of emotional and social trauma, evidence of improvement in psycho-social functioning following successful treatment, and prevention of parent and family stress that can place children at risk for abuse. Medical experts clearly recommend behavioral intervention as the treatment choice based on historical and current outcome evidence. Presentation of the program in a highly engaging multimedia format will facilitate parent and children's motivation and interest, which are the primary factors associated with treatment nonadherence. This family intervention program is intended for children with medically uncomplicated primary nocturnal enuresis, which make up between 85-90 percent of children diagnosed with enuresis."
College Administrator Website for Alcohol Programming,2R44AA014463-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,730898.00,"INFLEXXION, INC.","320 NEEDHAM STREET, SUITE 100",,NEWTON,MA,02464-1593,Yes,No,No,Susan Budman,,6173326028,,Emil J. Chiauzzi,,6173326028,echiauzzi@inflexxion.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application proposes the development of an interactive, web-based comprehensive alcohol programming website for college administrators called CampusTaskForce.com. CampusTaskForce.com will provide administrators with immediate access to data, resources, and communication tools needed to develop teams that can respond effectively to student high-risk drinking. The first step in Phase II involves the development and validation of the Institutional Climate Assessment, an online questionnaire that taps campus climate issues related to alcohol use and readiness for alcohol programming. Responses to this assessment result in a dynamic, tailored report with an overview of that campus' climate and readiness and detailed suggestions for programming. A second goal of Phase II involves the development of program content including the ""data manager"" that allows detailed queries of survey responses, as well as articles, strategies, and interactive tools to assist in developing policies and programming. Following assessment validation and content completion, the CampusTaskForce.com prototype will be administered in a demonstration study to evaluate task force functioning, as well as the usage and dissemination of CampusTaskForce.com with a sample of colleges and universities. The goal is a final product that will help colleges and universities develop task forces so that comprehensive, cohesive alcohol prevention programming replaces piecemeal and reactive program development."
Our Strength in Families (OSiF): A Web-based Interactive Coping Skill and Resiliency Program for Military Families,W81XWH-05-C-0021,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119976.00,"INFLEXXION, INC.","320 NEEDHAM STREET, SUITE 100",,NEWTON,MA,02464-1593,Yes,No,No,Susan Budman,Chief Operating Office,6173326028,susanbudman@inflexxion.com,Emil Chiauzzi,Vice President - Product Developmen,6173326028,echiauzzi@inflexxion.com,"Military personnel increasingly face deployments and prolonged separations from partners and families. Deployments have a profound effect on the loved ones of military personnel and often result in problems in intimate and family relationships. In turn, these problems can contribute to lower morale and motivation, poorer performance, lost work days, higher disability rates, decreased readiness, and declining reenlistment. This project will build on available knowledge and existing interventions to develop an interactive Web-based relationship-enhancement psychoeducational resource for couples experiencing deployments. This program, Our Strength in Families (OSiF), will draw on existing theoretical and empirical work, as well as new information to be gathered from focus groups with members of the target population, interviews with leading scientists and experts, and concept mapping with key stakeholders during Phase I. Content will be synthesized, the underlying technology will be developed, and an initial test of usability will be conducted during the Phase I Option period. OSiF will incorporate features demonstrated to improve relationship functioning among couples experiencing military deployments. OSiF has several advantages relative to available interventions, in particular, its interactivity and individual tailoring of content, its theoretically-driven, integrative approach, its enhanced accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and ease of use."
Web-based 5-A-Day Education for High School Students,1R43DK074280-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,97809.00,"INFLEXXION, INC.","320 NEEDHAM STREET, SUITE 100",,NEWTON,MA,02464-1593,Yes,No,No,Budman Susan,,6173326028,SUSANBUDMAN@INFLEXXION.COM,Tara Cousineau,,6173326028,SFBUTLER@INFLEXXION.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase I SBIR application proposes the development and pilot testing of an interactive, web-based nutrition program, called www.JiveforFive.com, to be offered to high school students (ages 14 to 18) through their health curriculum. This program will be based on the 5 A Day for Better Health Program, initiated by the CDC, NCI, and the fruit and vegetable (F&V) industry. The positive benefits of adequate F&V intake are well documented. Research has shown relationships between F&V consumption and the prevention of certain types of cancer and heart disease; poor eating can result in obesity and a number of serious health concerns. In general, adolescents consume only 2.8 servings of fruits or vegetables a day, which is half of the recommendation based on the Healthy People 2010 goal. A CDC survey found that 78 percent of high school students had not eaten five or more servings of fruits or vegetables per day in the previous week. For high school students, nutrition education is addressed in health classes utilizing textbooks or in physical education classes, an approach that is neither complete nor tailored to students' needs. Current efforts to increase F&V intake have either met with limited success, or when successful, have involved a tremendous amount of time and attention. Further, other health risks among youth, such as tobacco and drug use, are often higher priorities in school settings. Thus, there is a need for nutrition programs that can be easily integrated into existing school health curricula. The concept of www.JiveforFive.com is to use the Internet to achieve a tailored, psychoeducational intervention that is not currently available to high school students. The proposed program, www.JiveforFive.com, offers an online personalized education program that will provide students with empirically-based information and tailored feedback in a confidential manner. If such a program demonstrated effectiveness, school personnel would likely regard it as a cost-effective way to increase F&V consumption among high school students."
Website for the Self-Management of Chronic Back Pain,1R43AR052188-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,127041.00,"INFLEXXION, INC.","320 NEEDHAM STREET, SUITE 100",,NEWTON,MA,02464-1593,Yes,No,No,Susan Budman,,6173326028,SUSANBUDMAN@INFLEXXION.COM,Emil J. Chiauzzi,,6173326028,echiauzzi@inflexxion.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There is an increasing emphasis on developing behavior-related interventions for pain patients. The aim of this application is the development of an interactive website called MyHealthyBack.com for patients with chronic back pain. This website will be developed empirically through a detailed concept mapping procedure with chronic back pain patients and pain treatment professionals. MyHealthyBack.com will have a cognitive-behavioral orientation and will offer self-assessments with motivational, tailored feedback, self management programs that address patient priorities and problems, and interactive tools. Patients will be able to track key elements of their self-managements programs, e.g., medication usage, side effects, compliance with exercise regimens, etc. This information will be printable and can be shared with medical providers. In Phase I, interactive self-assessment questions and a demonstration website with samples of several interactive and text features will be developed."
Web-based Support to Self-Manage Migraine Pain,1R43NS053049-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,121307.00,"INFLEXXION, INC.","320 NEEDHAM STREET, SUITE 100",,NEWTON,MA,02464-1593,Yes,No,No,Susan Budman,,6173326028,SUSANBUDMAN@INFLEXXION.COM,Jonas I. Bromberg,,6173326028,JBROMBERG@INFLEXXION.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Migraine headache is a common, chronic medical condition characterized by recurrent acute attacks that create pain, disability and loss of function. Approximately 18% of women and 6.5% of men in the United States, an estimated 28 million Americans, suffer from migraine headache. Half of these individuals are under treated and under diagnosed. Traditional treatment approaches have met with limited success and tend to ""medicalize"" patients by placing them in a passive role. Clinically, little emphasis is placed on teaching patients active coping and behavioral self-management skills. Research demonstrates that a critical component of successful treatment is engaging the patient in learning active self-management strategies in order to identify, avoid, and manage headache situations and triggers. Accessible and tailored interventions are needed to facilitate patient education and engagement in the adoption of behavioral self- management skills. The Internet offers a vehicle for educating patients and assisting them in developing, maintaining, and tracking behavioral self-management activities. Most currently available migraine Websites lack tailored, evidence-based messaging and self-management training, and none have been scientifically validated for efficacy in helping patients attain improved outcomes. The proposed Website, MyMigraineHeadache.com, will provide an evidence-based resource offering education, motivational interventions, interactive tools, strategies for effective communication with healthcare providers, and behavioral self-management training, within a user-friendly, engaging, multimedia format. The program will be tested in Phase II to demonstrate the programs' efficacy and clinical utility."
Information Integration of Heterogeneous Data Sources,1R43RR018667-01A2,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,544066.00,"INFOTECH SOFT, INC.","INFOTECH SOFT, INC.",,MIAMI,FL,33131-3207,Yes,No,No,Mansur Kabuka,,3056705111,KABUKA@INFOTECHSOFT.COM,Mansur R. Kabuka,,3056705111,kabuka@infotechsoft.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall goal of this proposal is to develop an information integration architecture and associated tools to support rapid integration of data and knowledge from distributed heterogeneous data sources. The architecture aims to play a significant role in extracting coherent knowledge bases for biomedical research and improving the accuracy, completeness and quality of the extracted knowledge. Towards achieving these goals, the proposed scalable architecture includes new innovative generalized integration algorithms and tools for the generation of mediators to capture the functional behavior of data sources, semantic representation of data sources to support automated generation of integration agents, and optimization of integrated data queries. The information integration architecture keeps pace with the evolving Internet-based XML electronic data interchange, semantic web services, and web services discovery standards. Thus, leveraging the Internet technologies and standards for the purpose of providing lasting state-of-the-art solutions for information integration. In addition, the proposed architecture is inherently scalable in terms of the number of data sources that can be integrated, the number of users of the integrated system, and the range of biomedical problems that can be tackled. During phase I of the project, prototypes of the proposed integration algorithms and tools will be developed as proofs of concept and to form the foundation for evaluation and pilot testing of the proposed integration mechanisms, using private and public data sources, in terms of scalability and integration capabilities."
An Intelligent System for Clinical Trials,1R43MH070977-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,103896.00,"INFOTECH SOFT, INC.","INFOTECH SOFT, INC.",,MIAMI,FL,33131-3207,Yes,No,No,Mansur Kabuka,,3056705111,KABUKA@INFOTECHSOFT.COM,Mansur R. Kabuka,,3056705111,kabuka@infotechsoft.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The main objective of this proposal is to develop an innovative state-of-the-art intelligent system for managing mental health clinical trials. This system is designed to greatly improve usability and reduce errors and costs, while enabling and supporting the advancement of psychiatric and behavioral research. In the context of a highly scalable architecture, innovative techniques are introduced for(1) a human-computer interaction (HCI) design methodology to define interaction patterns by applying analysis techniques solidly grounded on cognitive theory; (2) a multi-machine user interaction algorithm that uses a common underlying form structure and intelligence to enable the collection of data by different users of the system through a diversity of interface devices, such as Web thin clients, mobile and desktop computers, handheld computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs), and interactive voice response (IVR) tools; and (3) the tight integration of sophisticated, intelligent data representations for complex psychometric instruments and detailed clinical trial protocol modeling. The proposed system is specifically designed to effectively interact with trial investigators and developers, clinical personnel, and patients in order to provide efficient end-to-end trial data acquisition, management, and analysis, and incorporates advanced graphical configuration and visualization tools for protocol and form design, automated decision-support, compliance and adverse event tracking, autonomous data exchange with external systems, and alerting mechanisms.
Throughout the project, INFOTECH Soft will rely on its user-centered formative design process and quality assurance strategy to ensure that the Psych Trials System adheres to its functional requirements and involves the end-user in important usability analysis. During phase I, cognitive dimensions analysis will be undertaken for a tightly defined set of activities that subjects are expected to accomplish using PDA and Web-based interfaces. This analysis will result in the definition of interaction patterns specific to each device. A prototype of the multi-machine user interaction algorithm will be developed as a proof-of-concept to assess the viability and clinical acceptance of the technique and to identify technical issues to be resolved towards phase II development. At the end of Phase II, the Psych Trials System will be pilot tested under a diverse set of realistic conditions in clinical trials to ensure that the system meets the functional specification, usability requirements, and performance demands in real-world clinical environments."
High-Speed Prediction for Real-Time Debris Risk Assessment,NND05AA02C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,2,545701.00,"Infoware Systems, Inc.","476 Highway A1A, Suite 7",,Satellite Beach,FL,32937 0233,Yes,No,No,Barbara J. Linton,President,3217735881,lintonb@InfowareSystems.com,Donald Linton,Principal Investigator,3217735881,lintond@infowaresystems.com,"Our innovation is a high-speed method for the prediction of aerodynamic debris fields that employs an extensive database of generalized empirical equations coupled with interpolation and localization techniques. An essential element of our innovation is the vehicle independence of the equations database which allows it to be generated once and applied to any vehicle. The large-scale operation of unpiloted aircraft within the National Airspace (NAS) will require a very high tempo of flight risk assessments, both for pre-mission planning and in the event of unplanned anomalies or deviations from the approved flight path. These risk assessments will require a large number of debris field predictions each of which will involve predicting the expected impact point and impact dispersion of many distinct representative debris pieces. Our innovation is aimed at making this volume of predictions feasible and cost-effective."
Ullage Compatible Optical Sensor for Monitoring Safety Significant Malfunctions,NNC05CA03C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,2,599999.00,"INNOSENSE, LLC","2531 W 237TH ST, STE 127",,TORRANCE,CA,90505-5245,Yes,No,No,Kisholoy Goswami,Director of Research,3105302011,kisholoy.goswami@innosense.us,Kisholoy Goswami,Principal Investigator,3105302011,kisholoy.goswami@innosense.us,"Significant emphasis has been placed on aircraft fuel tank safety following the TWA Flight 800 accident in July 1996. Upon investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the explosion of the center wing tank (CWT) resulted most likely from ignition of the flammable fuel/air mixture. The growing concern of aircraft fuel tank safety has taken an added dimension in the post 9/11 world where both commercial and military aircrafts are vulnerable to terrorist attacks utilizing MANPADS (MAN-Portable Air Defense Systems), explosives in shoe/socks, and small arms fire. Fuel tanks also need protection from explosions caused by ballistic impact, lightning, and other sources of ignition. In Phase I, InnoSense LLC has demonstrated the feasibility of an all-optical oxygen sensor capable of detecting oxygen at 40,000 feet elevation down to the ambient level. This Phase II proposal discusses how InnoSense LLC would develop a prototype and perform field testing. The project team possesses seventy person-years of optical sensor related hardware and software expertise. InnoSense has attracted $300,000 in Phase III follow-on funding for further engineering. Innosense will deliver the prototype to NASA, complete with software, manuals, and schematics."
"SBIR Phase II: A Reversible, Colorimetric Hydrogen Safety Sensor Using Tailored Xerogels",0521760,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,2,499999.00,"INNOSENSE, LLC","2531 W 237TH ST, STE 127",,TORRANCE,CA,90505-5245,Yes,No,No,Kisholoy Goswami,Dr,3105302011,kisholoy.goswami@innosence.us,Kisholoy Goswami,Dr,3105302011,kisholoy.goswami@innosence.us,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II research project will optimize performance of an optical safety sensor for integration with the hydrogen economy infrastructures. Feasibility of the sensing approach was demonstrated by developing a sol-gel-titania-based indicator formulation, which showed complete reversibility, and response and recovery time of less than a minute with 4% hydrogen. Safety remains a top priority since leakage of hydrogen in air during production, storage, transfer and distribution creates an explosive atmosphere for concentrations between 4% (v/v) - the lower explosive limit (LEL) and 74.5% (v/v) - the upper explosive limit (UEL) at room temperature and pressure. Being a very small molecule, hydrogen is prone to leakage through seals and micro-cracks. The sensor will be further improved with regard to its dynamic detection range, response and recovery times, sensitivity, accuracy, resolution and reduced interference from temperature fluctuations, and atmospheric gases including humidity. Hydrogen economy is new; public acceptance of hydrogen fuel would require the integration of a reliable safety sensor. Global energy consumption is projected to increase by 50% over the next 20 years. Failure to develop alternatives to oil would heighten growing reliance on oil imports, raising the risk of political and military conflict and economic disruption. The acceptance of hydrogen by the general public as an alternative fuel requires a safety sensor for mitigating the explosion risks due to hydrogen leakage at unacceptable levels."
Cost Effective Ulta-Thin Palladium Based Membrane for Hydrogen Separation and Purification,DE-FG02-05ER84204,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,99998.00,"INNOVATEK, INC.",3100 GEORGE WASHINGTON WAY STE 108,,RICHLAND,WA,99354-1663,Yes,No,No,Patricia M. Irving,Dr.,5093751093,irving@tekkie.com,Ying Peng,Dr.,5093751093,ying@tekkie.com,"78108S Hydrogen separation and purification is an enabling technology of the DOE FutureGen Program. The successful development of cost-effective hydrogen separation technology is a key element to separation/sequestration of carbon dioxide and delivery of high purity hydrogen for chemical processes or fuel cell applications. Current hydrogen membrane separation technology is costly and not oriented toward large-scale manufacturing. Current processes to produce very thin metal films, offering enhanced hydrogen permeability and lower cost, have proven to be problematic. Metal deposition techniques are expensive and do not achieve uniform thickness. Physical rolling can yield films of uniform thickness, but below 25 micrometers they have little structural integrity, are difficult to handle, and prone to formation of cracks and pinholes. This project will adapt metal cladding technology to produce a combined membrane and support structure of superior performance and structural integrity that has significantly lower material and manufacturing costs. Phase I addresses the adaptation and further development of rolling-bonding technology to simultaneously form and clad ultra-thin metal foils to porous metal support structures. The validity of the approach will be established by using a test stand to measure hydrogen flux and electron microscopy to view the physical structure. Phase II will focus on larger scale manufacture of the membranes and their integration into an assembly sufficient to process large volumes of coal-derived syngas. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: The technology should have significant ramifications in achieving DOE performance and cost targets for its Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and Infrastructure programs. These targets represent the signposts that define the transition to the Hydrogen Economy."
On-Line Organic Aerosol Analysis by Advanced Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry,DE-FG02-05ER86248,DOE,DOE,STTR,2005,1,99995.00,"INNOVATEK, INC.",3100 GEORGE WASHINGTON WAY STE 108,,RICHLAND,WA,99354-1663,Yes,No,No,Patricia M. Irving,Dr.,5093751093,irving@tekkie.com,Wladimir B. Mikheev,Dr.,5093751093,vladimir@tekkie.com,"78357 Better measurement technologies for rapid, in situ analysis of carbonaceous aerosols is a critical need for DOE research programs in climate change and clean vehicle technology. The identification and quantification of both the vapor and particulate phases of these compounds, as well as the determination of their natural abundance under typical atmospheric conditions, has not been established and will not be known until better measurement capabilities are available to the scientific community. Recognizing the need to better characterize and quantify the organic aerosol as a dynamic system of vapor and condensed phase species, this project will develop a true aerosol mass spectrometer for on-line analysis of both gas phase and particulate phase organics. Phase I will extend the capability of chemical ionization mass spectrometry to organic aerosol analysis by developing and incorporating a high flow particle sampler into the ionization chamber of the Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometer (PTR-MS). A semi-continuous approach will be used that allows the PTR-MS to measure organic vapor constituents during the particle collection period (seconds to minutes) followed by a ┐bulk┐ analysis of the collected particles. This multi-phase measurement approach will thus allow a more fundamental understanding of the organic aerosol as a dynamic mixture of vapor and condensed products. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The aerosol mass spectrometer instrumentation can meet important needs in the academic research community, state and federal air monitoring programs, industrial monitoring, and the military and civilian defense market. The sources and composition of carbonaceous particles ultimately could have an impact on public policy decisions regarding regional air quality and global climate change."
Portable Logistical Fuel Cell Powered Generator,N00014-05-M-0198,DOD,NAVY,STTR,2005,1,70000.00,"INNOVATEK, INC.",3100 GEORGE WASHINGTON WAY STE 108,,RICHLAND,WA,99354-1663,Yes,No,No,Patricia Irving,CEO,5093751093,irving@tekkie.com,Jeffrey Pickles,Systems Engineer,5093751093,pickles@tekkie.com,"InnovaTek proposes to develop a JP-8 fuel cell electrical generator built on a microchannel reactor design that provides a very low volume, light weight system. The objective of the Phase I work is to develop and demonstrate the feasibility of a processing configuration that converts JP-8 fuel to a hydrogen rich feed for a solid oxide fuel cell that produces 0.5 to 1 kW electrical power. Key components that will be designed to meet the Navy's performance objectives include a sulfur-tolerant catalyst, a micro-channel fuel reformer, a sulfur removal system, and an integrated solid oxide fuel cell. The system will be compact, lightweight, fuel efficient and capable of processing feeds that have significant sulfur content (~3,000 ppm) for at least 600 hours before maintenance is required."
Computerized Assessment of Social Information Processing,2R44MH066445-02A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,749998.00,"INNOVATION RESEARCH AND TRAINING, INC.",1415 W NC HWY 54,,DURHAM,NC,27707-5577,Yes,No,No,Hughes jr,,9194937700,IRT@IRTINC.US,Janis B. Kupersmidt,,9194937700,jkupersmidt@irtinc.us,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this proposed Phase II project is to develop and norm an audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (audio-CASI) software package for assessing social information processing skills (SIPS) in 3rd to 5th grade boys. Research over the past 25 years has established a consistent relationship between SIPS and aggressive and delinquent behavior in youth. In addition, the majority of current evidence-based programs designed to prevent or treat disruptive behavior disorders, aggressive behavior, or delinquency in children and adolescents are predicated on the SIPS model (Crick & Dodge, 1994) and utilize social cognitive intervention techniques. Despite these many advances in the study and treatment of aggressive and violent behavior in youth, there currently exist no standardized, normed measures of SIPS with known psychometric properties. Thus, mental health professionals and researchers do not have access to state-of-the-art measures to assess the effectiveness of their interventions or to establish treatment goals related to social cognitive functioning. Phase I included the successful development of a prototype of the software with three video vignettes and a feasibility study of its use with 3rd through 5th grade white and black boys. Preliminary Phase I results show high acceptability among the target group of children. The aims of the current Phase II application include the completion of the assessment measure and an independent evaluation of the SIPS assessment to establish developmental norms. Specifically, vignette scripts will be completed regarding common misunderstandings among 3rd through 5th grade White, Black, and Hispanic boys, where there is a negative outcome for one boy and ambiguous intent on the part of another; professional quality, digital video clips of the social situations will be filmed; and the software program will be completed with the addition of a clinical report component including shells that will summarize the assessment findings and provide clinical implications for responses to the software. The standardization sample will include equal numbers of youth stratified by grade and race in rural, urban and suburban settings. Data on the norms, reliability, concurrent criterion validity, and consumer satisfaction of the measure will be collected and analyzed."
Substance Abuse Prevention Media Literacy Curriculum,2R44DA016044-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,737383.00,"INNOVATION RESEARCH AND TRAINING, INC.",1415 W NC HWY 54,,DURHAM,NC,27707-5577,Yes,No,No,Hughes jr,,9194937700,IRT@IRTINC.US,Janis B. Kupersmidt,,9194937700,jkupersmidt@irtinc.us,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In response to published NIDA research topics calling for innovation in educational programs aimed at substance abuse prevention, the proposed project will develop and empirically tested media literacy alcohol and tobacco use prevention curriculum with use with children in grades three through five. The curriculum will contain goals, lesson plan scripts and activities, core connections to related subject areas, homework suggestions, resources and skill-based evaluation tools. The curriculum will be designed to be ready for use in a range of educational settings including elementary schools, home schools, after school programs, faith-based programs and community based programs (e.g., Boys and Girls Clubs). During Phase I, the overall structure and goals of the curriculum were developed and outlined. The first three lessons were developed in detail and were delivered to 3rd through 5th grade children in a focus group setting by an experienced teacher. In addition, focus groups and consultations with curriculum developers, 3rd-5th grade teachers, and health educators were conducted to provide feedback about the format, goals and content of the curriculum. Consumer satisfaction ratings from both the educators and children were extremely positive suggesting that the prototype of the curriculum was promising and ready for further development and completion. The present application proposes three primary goals including (1) completion of the curriculum and evaluation materials, (2) pilot testing of the curriculum and evaluation protocol in two youth groups, and (3) conduct experiment with random assignment of educators to intervention and wait-list control groups to evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum in changing knowledge, attitudes and behaviors regarding use of tobacco and alcohol products and increasing media literacy-related critical thinking skills. The potential commercial applications of this research include the creation of an easy-to-use, attractive, effective preventive intervention curriculum as well as training workshops in use and evaluation of the curriculum that can be taught to a wide range of educators."
Substance Abuse Prevention Media Literacy HS Curriculum,1R43DA018495-01A2,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,117400.00,"INNOVATION RESEARCH AND TRAINING, INC.",1415 W NC HWY 54,,DURHAM,NC,27707-5577,Yes,No,No,Janis Kupersmidt,,9194937700,BOARD@IRTINC.US,Janis B. Kupersmidt,,9194937700,jkupersmidt@irtinc.us,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In response to published NIDA research topics calling for innovation in educational programs aimed at substance abuse prevention, the proposed project will develop an empirically tested media literacy substance abuse prevention curriculum for use with high school students. The curriculum will take the form of a poster-size flipchart with visual aids on one side of the page and lesson plans, discussion notes, activities, multi-media applications, and subject area connections on the reverse. The ultimate goal of this SBIR is to develop an evidence-based, easy-to-use curriculum that can be flexibly fit into existing curricula such that use of media literacy substance abuse prevention programs with adolescents increases. In Phase of the project, we will explore the scientific basis to develop the proposed curriculum. We will develop prototypes of three lessons and their accompanying lesson plans and activities. Four focus groups will then be conducted with high school students to assess the feasibility of the proposed educational methodology. Finally, we will have experts evaluate the curriculum prototypes. Assuming the prototype shows promise, Phase II of this project will complete curriculum development and evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum in changing knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of high school students regarding substance use."
"Miniaturized, Low Weight, Low Cost Interceptor Components for the Miniature Kill Vehicle (MKV)",W9113M-05-C-0150,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,2,715508.00,"INNOVATIVE BUSINESSS SOLUTIONS, INC.",301 Concourse Boulevard,Suite 120,Glen Allen,VA,23059 5643,Yes,No,No,Tom Heath,Contract Manager,7278125555,tomh@i-b-s-i.com,Henry Vo,Principle Staff Engineer,7278125555,henryv@i-b-s-i.com,"In order to prove the concept of a miniature kill vehicle, many innovative techniques are being employed including the use of state of the art platform Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) or systems on a chip. The schedule for flight testing of a miniature kill vehicle necessitates that the full tactical capability for environments must take a lower priority to concept demonstration in a relatively benign laboratory or hover test environment. A parallel (non-intrusive) development of a radiation tolerant miniature kill vehicle mission processor will allow the overall program to benefit by making the more capable system available to the program for hover test and subsequent flight testing. This proposed, more capable, system includes a higher level of functional integration through the use of the latest generation of the system on a chip FPGA available (Xilinx Virtex-4) and possible inclusion of a widely used commercially available processor. The resulting system, as shown in the figure would provide two key improvements. Namely, the radiation environment would be addressed by design and assessment of parts capability. Secondly, the signal processing, power dissipation, and volume requirements would be given significant consideration, allowing for overall system capability growth and lower cost."
"Small Form Factor, High Precision, High Bandwidth, Low Latency, Inertial Measurement Unit Based on Resonant Micro Optic Gyro (RMOG IMU)",W9113M-05-P-0081,DOD,MDA,STTR,2005,1,98587.00,"INNOVATIVE BUSINESSS SOLUTIONS, INC.",301 Concourse Boulevard,Suite 120,Glen Allen,VA,23059 5643,Yes,No,No,Tom Heath,Contract Manager,7278125555,tomh@i-b-s-i.com,Greg Sjoquist,Senior Staff Engineer,7278125555,gregs@i-b-s-i.com,"Next generation missile interceptor seekers have migrated toward a strap-down seeker configuration, the IMU subsystems for these applications need to perform well under harsher environments, with respect to the gimbaled seeker systems of the past, due to the higher vibration and angular acceleration environments they will experience. The sensor package (IMU/INS) needs to maintain performance in a smaller package in order to address the unique requirements presented by an advanced seeker. Present day Interceptor-class IMU gyroscopes provide corrected angular rate information at up to 2000 hertz, with angular drift rates on the order of 1-3 degrees per hour. Smaller, lightweight, low cost inertial sensors that provide low-latency, corrected angular rate data at 20-30 kHz, with similar or improved angular drift rates are now within reach using a Resonant Micro Optic Gyro (RMOG) based system. In addition to the RMOG, the new IMU will utilize the state of the art in MEMS accelerometers and embedded processors. The advances in high density FPGA devices and their immediate availability will allow for user customizable functions to be incorporated into the IMU/INS device such as Line of Sight Stabilization (LOSS) and control and vehicle Guidance-Navigation & Control (GN&C) functions."
"Advanced, Low Cost, Integrated Avionics",W9113M-05-C-0108,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99268.00,"INNOVATIVE BUSINESSS SOLUTIONS, INC.",301 Concourse Boulevard,Suite 120,Glen Allen,VA,23059 5643,Yes,No,No,Tom Heath,COntract Manager,7278125555,tomh@i-b-s-i.com,Greg Sjoquist,Principal Staff Engineer,7278125555,gregs@i-b-s-i.com,"A smaller high performance Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) is required. The Line-Of-Sight-Stabilization system for the Next Generation THAAD advanced dual mode seeker requires total IMU error to be less than 2.5 uRadians and must have gyro data rates greater than 20kHz. The proposed gyro is critical to the electronic image stabilization that is performed in the advanced seeker's image processing system. An IMU of less than 2 cubic-inches is possible, which is 10 times smaller that existing IMUs. Performance of 1 degree/hour bias stability and capable of surviving high-G environments is possible by utilizing a novel rate sensing device developed by Sandia National Laboratories. The MKV Kill Vehicle program, presently base-lining a MEMS IMU, is also a good candidate for a compact IMU with the performance characteristics expected from this micro-optical gyro based IMU. The objective of the proposed effort is to develop a fully functional micro-optical gyroscope and interface it to support electronics. The Sandia Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC) and Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) provide the baseline for the gyro. The proposed effort is to design the required control loop and readout circuitry that will be integrated with the existing capability and components that Sandia has already demonstrated."
Embedded Wiring Diagnostic Technology for Aircraft,N00421-05-C-0034,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,149851.00,"Innovative Dynamics, Inc.",NY,,Ithaca,NY,14850-9726,Yes,No,No,Kumar Seetharam,Contract Administrator,6072570533,ks@idiny.com,Jack Edmonds,Senior Scientist,6072570533,jedmonds@idiny.com,"Innovative Dynamics Inc. proposes to develop a Wire Health Management System (WHMS) that provides prognostic and diagnostic tools for detecting, identifying, and locating wire faults. The expected result for the Navy is substantially reduced maintenance costs and down time of aging aircraft. The proposed WHMS incorporates multiple sensors into ""smart"" clamps to monitor wire chafing and arcing events that account for more than 50% of wire fault incidents. The sensors can also be used to detect loose connections, temperature increases indicative of fire or other wire anomalies, fluid contamination, and connector cross-mating to cover 80 - 90% of all wire incidents. Smart components also provide the capability to mitigate unwanted wiring vibration through active noise cancellation techniques, and thus extending life of key wiring components. All can be configured to be non-intrusive fault indicators such that nothing needs to be disconnected or dismantled to conduct the inspection. The system operates continuously in-flight so that mystifying intermittent conditions can be spotted as they happen. The system can also be used for ground inspections as well. IDI proposes to develop a comprehensive implementation plan on new and legacy aircraft covering installation through end use."
Nondestructive Inspection (NDI) of Fastener Holes in Thick Multi-Layer Structure,FA8650-05-C-5601,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,750000.00,INNOVATIVE MATERIALS TESTING TECHNOLOGIES,3141 W. Torreys Peak Drive,,Superior,CO,80027,Yes,Yes,No,Yushi Sun,President,5152965329,SUNY@IMTT-USA.COM,Yushi Sun,President,5152965328,SUNY@IMTT-USA.COM,"Innovative Materials Technologies, Inc. (IMTT) is proposing a Flat Geometry Remote Field & Super Sensitive Eddy Current (FG RFEC & SSEC) technique for the inspection of fastener holes in thick multi-layer structures. Inspection of fastener holes in thick multi-layer structures described in the Topic AF04-134, is a big challenge to all existing or emerging nondestructive inspection (NDI) techniques, including ultrasonic techniques, X-ray, conventional eddy current techniques, super-conductive quanta interface device, etc. Among all ECT's, the FG RFEC & SSEC is the only technique that has a penetration depth not limited by Skin-Depth, because the signal received by its receiving unit has penetrated through the object wall twice and carries a clean signal about the wall conditions. Therefore, FG RFEC & SSEC is the most promising technique in reaching the goal set in this project topic description. There are three Phase II objectives: Objective # 1: Detection of cracks on F-15 titanium (Ti) spar structures. Objective # 2: Detection of cracks through aircraft bushings. Objective # 3: Inspection of Titanium Structure through Composite Skin. Coupons and specifications of the above three objectives have been specified by US Air Force Research Laboratory. IMTT will develop and deliver a production prototype system based on the remote field eddy-current technology which is capable of addressing multi-layer crack detection in the three areas listed above - F-15 Ti spar structures, aircraft bushings, and Ti structures through a composite skin. The system will also be producible, supportable, affordable and transitionable. One commercial system and three commercial probes with advanced and automated functions will be designed, prototyped, and produced with an appropriate industrial partner, such as SAIC and/or Rohmann. Mr. Sun, Yushi, President of IMTT and Principal Investigator, has more than 19 years of experience in R&D of the FG RFEC & SSEC technique, as well as in finite element modeling of electromagnetic NDI phenomena. He is an active and Founding Member of the International Computation Electromagnetics Society, COMPUMAG, and was a Session Chair and a member of the Editorial Board for a number of international conferences in computational electromagnetics and electromagnetic NDI."
"Advanced Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) Algorithm Development to Enhance the Lethality of Interceptors Against Maneuvering Targets",HQ0006-05-C-7153,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99996.00,INNOVATIVE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY,"800 West 14th Street, Suite 111",,Rolla,MO,65401,Yes,No,No,S. N. Balakrishnan,Chief Executive Officer,5733414675,bala@umr.edu,David Drake,Principal Investigator,5734263678,dtdrake@umr.edu,"This proposal deals with new techniques for the guidance and control of Boost Phase of the missile defense. A new concept integrating the synergy between guidnace and coontrol is offered as an Integrated Guidance and Control approach; furthermore, a new nonlinear controller-filter called the theta-D technique is offered as the tool to solve the boost phase guidance and control problem for accurate intercept under uncertainty about the target conditions."
"Development of a Novel ""Systematic, Integrated Component Approach"" To Produce Artificial Diets for Monarch Butterflies, Queen Butterflies",2005-33610-15564,USDA,USDA,SBIR,2005,1,67025.00,"INSECT DIET & REARING INSTITUTE, LLC",5622 N CALLE DE LA REINA,,Tucson,AZ,85718 4412,Yes,No,No,Allen C. Cohen,Director,5205776536,idri@insectdiets.com,Allen C. Cohen,Director,5205776536,idri@insectdiets.com,"Millions of brush footed butterflies, are sold yearly for education, research, environmental concerns, and for ceremony. However, monarchs and are among the most popular products. Also, because of environmental concerns, monarchs are important to ecologists, educators, and biotechnologists. However, monarch availability is limited and costly because rearing requires fresh milkweeds. We will develop an integrated approach to diet development and a diet that simulates milkweed hosts for monarch larvae. It will contain extracts that offer the chemical signature of optimal hosts and will contain balanced nutrients that parallel natural host plants. The diet will provide nutrients in forms that meet bioavailability needs to parallel nutrient formats in natural hosts. It will be desiccated to make it stable and resistant to deterioration. It will support growth of healthy adults with normal biological functions, including protective chemical profiles. The final product will be inexpensive enough to promote increased sales of monarchs for the specified purposes. Importantly, the integrated approach to be developed in this project will be applicable to diet development for other butterflies and insects that cannot now be reared on diets, especially weed biocontrol agents. A. This project establishes the detailed feeding processes of monarch and queen butterflies. B.The purpose of this study is to develop a practical and economical artificial diet for monarch butterflies."
Construction of a Force Probe for Characterization of Microscale Features,SB134105W0840,DOC,NIST,SBIR,2005,1,74967.00,"INSITUTEC, INC.",45 Odell School Road,Suite A,Concord,NC,28027-9712,Yes,No,No,Shane Woody,,7045036908,shane.woody@insitutec.com,,,,,"The pressing need exists within industry to accurately measure high aspect ratio microscale structures. For example, diesel injector nozzles are manufactured with microscale holes ranging from 50-200 micrometers in diameter and 3-5 mm depths. One fundamental challenge is to nondestrucvely measure these features in order to validate models, enhance manufacturing processes, and reduce fuel emissions. Current measurement technologies are limited due to probe size (i.e. > 30 micrometers in diameter) and often produce unwanted adhesive forces during the measurement process. The objective of this SBIR program is to develop a 2D high aspect ratio microscale force probe; representing a collaborative effort between InsituTech Inc., a North Carolina based instrumentation manufacturer, and the Center for Precision Metrology at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The sensing technology developed through this program employs revolutionary concepts in probing technologies which include a high aspect ratio probe generating minimal adhesive forces, providing 7 micrometer contact diameters, 5 mm free lengths and 5 nms sensitivity. COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: InsituTec's commercialization efforts will focus on meeting the industry need for microscale probing technology. It is envisaged that the first products will include gauge heads with microscale probes retrofitted to the quill of standard CMMs. Clearly, once the design tools have been thoroughly evaluated it will be possible to rapidly adapt these designs to meet the demands from other customers. There are also a number of other industries that could use microscale probes for quality inspection. For example, these may include diesel injectors, chip vias, turbine blade cooling holes, and optical fibers. Experiences gained by these projects will be used to develop OEM products to be marketed for general application."
Numerical Algorithms for Steady and Unsteady Multi-Disciplinary Simulation of Flight Vehicles,NND05AB54C,NASA,NASA,STTR,2005,2,599471.00,Intelligent Aerodynamics,845 Sharon Park Drive,,Menlo Park,CA,94025 0673,Yes,No,No,Charlotte A. Jameson,CEO,6508546710,charlotteansted@hotmail.com,Antony Jameson,Principal Investigator,6508546710,jameson@baboon.stanford.edu,"Industry is driven by the cost of man-power and time to market, and is still awaiting a versatile and reliable multi-disciplinary analysis code. The proposed JFLO software suite addresses many aspects that are still not totally resolved in current state-of- the-art CFD. It will enable optimal designs as well as the multi-disciplinary application of CFD for digital flight. The key elements of JFLO are : ease of use; broad analysis capability for 3D steady and unsteady applications for the entire range of speeds for low Mach to supersonic, high-resolution mesh-blind solution algorithms and CAD-blind surface reconstruction, mesh-and user-independent results via CAD-respecting mesh adaptation, fast solutions via advanced convergence acceleration techniques, and above all reliability and high accuracy. It weaves together technologies that have been recognized in their individual right: optimal control design, coupled CFD and CSD and automatic mesh optimization. Here they are brought together in a single package for the first time."
A Novel Self-diagnosis Approach to Nondestructive Inspection of Composite Structures,FA9550-05-C-0003,DOD,USAF,STTR,2005,2,497664.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Chiman Kwan,Vice President,3012945238,ckwan@i-a-i.com,"The goal of this Phase II research is to synergistically combine the novel Electrical Resistance Change Method (ERCM), the guided wave inspection method, and the robust processing algorithms for nondestructive evaluation and inspection of composite structures. The ERCM has key advantages such as low cost, no strength reduction, the capability to detect and locate delaminations and cracks, no need of expensive sensors and measurement equipment, no need of loading, and is applicable to new and existing structures. The guided wave method can access hard to reach areas, inspect long distances, and optimal select frequencies and modes to detect defects. The robust algorithms can effectively localize defect locations and estimate defect size, classify defect types, and provide user-friendly decisions so that inexperienced maintenance personnel can use the system. Since the three components are complementary, the proposed system combines the best of three technologies into a unified portable package with a size comparable to a laptop. In Phase II, we will first some build realistic composite test beds in our laboratory. We will then build a prototype system by implementing the algorithms in real-time and packaging the sensors for more efficient use and installation. Finally, we will perform extensive experiments and demonstrations to check the performance of our overall proposed prototype."
Nondestructive Inspection of Metal Matrix Composites Using Guided Waves,W56HZV-04-C-0692,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,2,730000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts Administrator,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Chiman Kwan,"Vice President, Research",3012945238,ckwan@i-a-i.com,"Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) have excellent properties such as lightweight and resistance to temperature and wear. For the above advantages to materialize, the Silicon Carbide (SiC) in the MMC must be free of defects such as porosity and disbond between the aluminum and SiC layer. This is a very challenging task.
In this Phase II research, Intelligent Automation, Inc. (IAI) together with its supporting companies FBS, Cast Metal Composites, and Surmet will develop and deliver to ARMY a real-time nondestructive inspection prototype hardware that contains a portable data acquisition system and guided wave transducers customized for best defect detection in MMC, advanced signal processing algorithms for defect classification, and graphical user interface for displaying results and interacting with ordinary maintenance engineers who do not have much theoretical background in ultrasonics. Our system offers the following significant advantages: 1) portable, low cost and efficient; 2) able to detect porosity, small and hidden cracks and delaminations; 3) can classify different types of defects such as porosity, crack, disbands, etc. by analyzing the ultrasonic waveforms; 4) has user-friendly interface to help interpret the inspection results.
Our Phase I results have clearly demonstrated the feasibility of our proposed approach. However, substantial additional algorithmic and hardware development work is still needed."
Ultra-Wideband Transceiver for Integrated Communication and Relative Navigation,NNC05CA11C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,2,599297.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposal Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Chujen Lin,,3012945236,chujen@i-a-i.com,"Many space missions require relative navigation between several spacecraft systems or between spacecraft and rovers or remote controlled probes, such as spacecraft inspection, docking, rover control, formation flight, automatic landing of UAVs, and automatic material handling. Ranging and communication are key functions for these types of applications. The ranging update rate and data rate directly affect the performance of relative navigation. UWB radios are very suitable to the above needs because it can be made to be very low power, low-cost, compact, and lightweight. Furthermore, UWB transceivers for relative navigation will have wide field-of-view compared to optical or image based sensors. Another benefit of UWB is that can co-exist with other radio equipment used by the spacecraft without causing co-site interferences or being interfered by other radio transmission. UWB radios have been demonstrated to be able to perform high-speed communication and good ranging rate separately, but the data rate or the ranging update rate will be greatly compromised if one wants to perform UWB communication and tracking simultaneously. The goals of this Phase II project are to develop a superior UWB transceiver that can provide higher update rate and can provide the maximum ranging update and data rate simultaneously."
Hardware Architectures for Flexible Component-Based Hybrid Cognitive Systems,W31P4Q-05-C-R192,DOD,DARPA,SBIR,2005,2,750000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals M,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Wilbur Peng,Research Scientist,3012945255,wpeng@i-a-i.com,"Building cognitive systems that can interact with real world environments encompasses fields ranging from cognitive science, research artificial intelligence, robotics and control and many other research areas. While significant advances have been made in all of these arenas, the integration of these capabilities into functional cognitive systems remains a significant challenge. Our approach is premised upon a number of observations and principles. We observe that a general, unified theory of cognition has proven elusive. Moreover, existing monolithic system development approaches cannot efficiently implement and integrate the full spectrum of cognitive knowledge representation and algorithms, nor can they take advantage of novel computer architectures and capabilities. In the proposed Phase II effort, we will develop an end-to-end framework, methodology and supporting tools for cognitive systems development. The system-oriented development approach does not focus exclusively on single theories of cognition. Rather, it addresses the design and specification of components and the integration and optimization of components into coherent cognitive systems. It will include functional and behavioral components, control frameworks, and support tools and runtime infrastructures. The goal of this effort is to make the approach sufficiently complete and usable so that it can be used in research into cognitive architectures and systems."
New Information Technologies for Crisis Operations,FA8750-05-C-0222,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,750000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals M,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Leonard Haynes,President,3012945250,lhaynes@i-a-i.com,"Simulation results can indicate options available to deal with crises, and can support `what-if' investigations in advance of an actual crisis, provided the simulation models incorporate correct underlying science. This proposal follows an initial Phase I effort in which we developed Cognitive Pedestrian software agents that incorporate physical, emotional, and rational aspects of behavior. Results include: (1) recovery of emergent behavior typical for crowd motion, (2) reasonable behavior of both fearful and curious Cognitive Pedestrian agents as they encounter a fire hazard, and (3) break-up of crowds due to the use of physical barriers. In Phase II, the Cognitive Pedestrian agents will be enhanced in a principled manner to include an explicit framework for introducing epistemological beliefs. This will allow Cognitive Pedestrian agents to model individuals holding beliefs arising from diverse cultural norms. The (sub)-cognitive capability of way-finding will also be an enhancement to the agent capability. In Phase II, a scenario that is operationally relevant to the Air Force will be the simulated. The results will be validated, using metrics obtained from subject matter experts. Through this effort, an agent-based simulation framework, with supporting libraries, will be developed; providing the capability of simulating additional scenarios using Cognitive Pedestrian agents."
Expanded Speech Recognition to Include Foreign Accents,FA8650-05-C-6533,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,750000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals M,3012945211,mjames@i-a-i.com,Chiman Kwan,"Vice President, R & D",3012945238,ckwan@i-a-i.com,"In this proposal, Intelligent Automation, Incorporated (IAI) and its subcontractors, Prof. Richard Stern of Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and Dr. Rita Singh of Haikya Corp., propose a novel integrated system to improve speech recognition performance for people with foreign accents. It is emphasized that this team has rich experience in understanding the speech characteristics in non-native speakers. The temporal and intra-phoneme variations introduce mismatches between the baseline speech recognition model and a particular non-native speaker model. Hence some adaptations are needed to update the speaker models for non-native speakers. The proposed system consists of three parts: 1) a speech enhancement module to eliminate background noise; 2) a speaker adaptation algorithm that uses a small training data set to update the speakers' models in the speech recognition part; 3) a speech recognition system to recognition speech. Our Phase 1 results have clearly demonstrated the feasibility of the individual algorithms. The goal of this Phase 2 research is to develop and demonstrate a real-time prototype speech recognition system for non-native speakers. The system can be portable to any platform such as PowerPC. The system also has continuous and unsupervised learning capability."
Agent-Based Health Monitoring System,NNA05AA05C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,2,600000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposal Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Leonard Haynes,,3012945250,lhaynes@i-a-i.com,"We propose combination of software intelligent agents to achieve decentralized reasoning, with fault detection and diagnosis using PCA, neural nets, and maximum entropy methods. The goal of the work is to achieve integrated system health management and self-reliant systems, including integration with the maintenance and logistics scheduling systems to achieve fully automated end-to-end solutions. At low levels the agents will evaluate raw sensor signals to detect and diagnose the cause of anomalies. At the next higher level, the agents will combine the diagnostic results from multiple lower level agents to detect and diagnose anomalies in the interaction between components or subsystems. If there is a maintenance action or a spare part indicated by the prognosis, a Task Agent and/or a Spare Parts agent will be spawned to interact with the appropriate agent-based Scheduling System to insure that the requirements are met. Agents at each level are also responsible for performing graceful degradation in the event of a failure at their level. At the low level, we have demonstrated that the PCA algorithm can greatly reduce the amount of diagnostic data that must be shared between hierarchical levels. We have also demonstrated other algorithms for anomaly detection, diagnosis, and diagnostic data-fusion."
A New Computing Paradigm for Energy-Efficient Collaboration in Underwater Sensor Networks,N00014-05-C-0176,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,448748.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals M,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Xiaodong Zhang,Research Scientist,3012945269,xzhang@i-a-i.com,"The infusion and maturation of the Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS), computation, and wireless communication technologies have advanced the development of undersea distributed sensor systems. To realize the exciting potentials of distributed sensor systems, the fundamental problems of optimal sensor attribute selection and optimal sensor deployment have to been solved. This is a typical multi-objective optimization and control problem that results in an optimal design to best balance the conflicting performance objectives and to dynamically adapt to changes of environment conditions. In this proposal, Intelligent Automation Inc. (IAI), with the support of Wayland Applied Math and University of Tennessee, proposes to develop an intelligent agent-based generic model framework that provides a state space model of distributed sensor systems. The general distributed sensor framework is capable of supporting various sensing and environment models, the METROC/C4I infrastructure, and optimal sensor system design and management. The development will be based on IAI's innovative Cybele agent infrastructure. This work is closely coupled with the Navy's DASEE (Distributed ASW Sensor Employment and Evolution) effort, in which a rather general adaptive open architecture control framework is defined to address specific problems such as optimal design and deployment of distributed ASW sensors in complex and dynamic environments."
In-line Nondestructive Inspection of Mechanical Defects in Pipelines with Shear Horizonital Wave EMAT,DTRT5706C10004,DOT,DOT,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposal Manager,3012945221,Mark.James@IAI.com,Xiaoliang Zhao,Senior Research Engineer,3012945232,,"Intelligent Automation, Inc. and Oak Ridge National Lab is proposing a novel and integrated approach to inspect mechanical damages in the pipelines with or without coatings. It extends our successful work in a previous phase 1 project that combines the state of the art Shear Horizontal wave signal processing and pattern classification techniques, to detect and characterize the mechanical dents in the underground pipeline transportation infrastructures. In particular, this proposal address several challenging issues: 1) thorough guided wave modal analysis through three dimensional Boundary Element Method for best wave mode and frequency selection and defect volumetric feature extraction, 2) circumferential and axial ultrasonic SH wave EMATs and fixture design for data collection and analysis, 3) advanced signal processing algorithms such as Principal Component Analysis and Discriminant Analysi for mechanical defect signature extraction and pattern classification, and 4) small dents and coating condition assessment. The envisioned system will be mounted on a PIG for accurately and reliably detecting the metal loss and other defects in the pipeline infrastructures long ahead before they need remediation."
DEC-POMDP Stochastic Game Approach for Uncertain MultiAgent Systems,W15P7T-05-C-W003,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,120000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contract Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Goutam Satapathy,Sr. Research Scintst & Mgr Prod Dev,3012945249,goutam@i-a-i.com,"The key innovation builds on the decentralized partially observable markov decision processes theory to model unmanned vehicles (UVs) that engage in stochastic game formulations for collaborative teaming and computing joint optimal policies. Prior models consider purely collaborative agents which have identical payoff functions contrary to the human-centric models. We incorporate agent self-interestedness in the payoff functions and maximize expected team reward. Learning components are incorporated in the agents to reduce the search space for optimal actions given a history of world observations. It is our intuition that such a framework would provide computationally tractable performance even though DEC-POMDP are shown to be NEXP-complete with no communication. The framework would have host of generic algorithms that can be easily adapted as per the scenario definition like target tracking, formation flying, planning etc. The proposed approach can be implemented on CybeleTM agent DSSI (Decision support system infrastructure) capability built by IAI to model agent beliefs, actions and rewards with hooks for the environment simulation. Cybele infrastructure has been tested on CDC environment (e.g., wireless PDAs), which allows users to develop agent applications and algorithms, simulate the algorithms and directly deploy the software on wireless networked environment, enabling hardware in the loop simulations."
An IPD-based approach for Adaptable Story-based Leadership Training & Assessment,W91FD3-06-P-0024,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Jacqueline Haynes,Executive Vice President,3012945260,jhaynes@i-a-i.com,"instructional design and SCORM-compliant web-based distance learning infrastructure to create a richer learning environment that is believable, adaptable and easily accessible. Interactive Pedagogical Drama is an instructional environment where ""the learning of skills is through compelling interactive stories"". In order to construct an IPD-inspired leadership training environment, we propose to create the following: intelligent agent-based infrastructure that supports modeling of believable role-playing characters; training scenario that has a good story structure focusing on developing and assessing leadership abilities, with a strong narrative drive and is believable to the learners training on it; instructional design that leverages the adaptability that IPD provides and an infrastructure that combines real-time simulations with web-based learning. We will have 4 objectives: (1) Use IAI's intelligent agent modeling infrastructure, MAGIC, for creating role-playing characters in adaptable stories. (2) Modify/adapt a crowd-behavior simulation to create leadership training scenarios that provides domain for instruction. (3) Use IAI's SITA infrastructure for integrating adaptable story-based simulations into distance learning environments. (4) Create a training /assessment module that demonstrates the effectiveness of IPD-based instructions."
Ultrafast Detection and Tracking Using Retrodirective Random-Noise Monopulse Radar,W911NF-06-C-0025,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contract and Proposal Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Yan Zhang,Research Scientist,3012945215,yzhang@i-a-i.com,"We propose to build and deploy an innovative radar system combining retrodirective noise correlating (RNC) stage with random-noise monopulse tracking stage. The radar will not only detect inbound target with ultra-high speed, but also provide the angle-of-arrival (AOA) and range estimation almost simultaneously, furthermore, the technology has outstanding ECCM capability because of its wideband true random-noise waveform. The technology combines retrodirective antenna array, which provides `self-cueing' detection, and X-band coherent monopulse noise radar. The retrodirective array and first-stage correlator provide automatic beam steering and range gating, then monopulse processing generates target AOA and range estimation instantly from the second stage correlation. The entire detection/tracking time is only limited to RF propagation delay, no complicated DSP is needed."
Covert Through Wall Sensing with MEMS Radios,W15P7T-06-C-N204,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,68514.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contract & Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Eric van Doorn,Director of Sensor Technology,3012945229,evandoorn@i-a-i.com,"Intelligent Automation, Inc. (IAI), proposes through the wall sensing system consisting of a network of expendable local area MEMS sensors. The key innovation of our work is detection of persons moving behind walls or inside buildings using the RF communication link itself. IAI has effectively tested narrowband MEMS radios networks for intrusion detection nets that offers the following key innovation factors for a covert through-the wall-sensing-system: (1) sense through the wall, movements of human a intruder behind the wall (2) distinguish intruders movements from objects far away (2) distinguish fluctuations due to vehicular intruders, cell phones and other transmitters. (3) covertness and less sensitiveness to jamming (4) real time ""distributed Intelligence"" that distinguishes and reports position, velocity, direction of the moving object and resolve simultaneous detection of more than one moving intruder advancing in different directions and (5) dynamic Power management that reduces at least 50% memory usage."
In Situ Guided Wave Structural Health Monitoring System,NNC05CA40C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69628.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,George Zhao,,3012945232,xzhao@i-a-i.com,"Corrosion and fatigue induced metal-loss and cracks are common problems for missiles and aircraft structures. A wide range of field conditions such as humidity, temperature, stress, cathode potential, and coating conditions, etc. all contributes to the electrochemical reaction between the incipient corrosive agent molecule and the structural metal matrix. The weakened inter-atomic force leads to the material loss, pits or crack growth and eventually structural failure. We propose a new approach to detect and characterize the corrosion and cracks in missile and aircraft structures. The technique consists of very small, low cost guided wave leave-in-place health monitoring sensors known as piezo-disks, innovative Correlation Analysis Technique (CAT) for fast defect sizing and localization, and a miniaturized local computing device with data acquisition and processing capabilities and wireless module for remote monitoring. It is envisioned the total cost of this system will be less than $1500."
Agent-based Collaborative Combat Simulation Tool,FA8650-05-M-1879,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Renato Levy,Principle Scientist,3012945241,rlevy@i-a-i.com,"We believe that the requirements of the solicitation can best be met using autonomous software agents. Intelligent Automation, Incorporated (IAI) has been developing the theory and practice of software agents for over a decade and we are recognized leaders in this area. Our primary application of software agents has been for agent-based simulations and we have built agent-based simulations of many large distributed systems. We will adapt our past work to implement the Collaborative Virtual Combat Simulation. The work herein proposed also describes how we will integrate software agent-based real-time decision aids into our simulation using agent-based game theoretic interactions. In addition to a simulation, our systems can pro actively recommend specific courses of action based on agent interactions aimed at optimization. Our agent-based simulation is built on top of our agent infrastructure called Cybele. Cybele is available Open Source and has many users. There has not been a confirmed bug report for over six months. Cybele is also HLA compliant, and fully supports man in the loop and hardware in the loop testing. Cybele is a ""light"" infrastructure and Cybele nodes can execute on a hand-held PDA. Our agent-based simulations execute simultaneously on any number of computers."
Multipath Encryption and Authentication System,N68335-05-C-0297,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,749979.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals M,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Eric van Doorn,Director of Sensor Techno,3012945229,evandoorn@i-a-i.com,"The Phase II technical proposal describes strategies for system level implementation of our novel multipath encryption scheme for location specific authentication. Brief discussion of VHF frequency domain channel sounding approach to extract wireless channel multipath for geo-specific encryption is provided. Convincing experimental results are presented to prove the channel reciprocity concept for Line of sight (LOS) and non-LOS terrains. The technology can be integrated on existing SINCGARS platform for long range authentication. Building on these Phase I results, we lay out our phase II plan. Primary tasks involve SCA compliant waveform generation and testing on the JTRS SCA platform, Ground measurements with radios generating JTRS compatible waveforms and airborne measurements for validation of the multipath encryption technique. Measurements will be coupled with comprehensive simulations to model ground, airborne propagation channels, and aircraft dynamics to understand system level constraints. A complete description of the tasks, along with the time line is included in the report. The ultimate goal of the Phase II effort is integration of our technique with the JTRS AMF cluster of radios. Additional technical contributions will be provided by Raytheon Network Centric Systems and Virginia Tech, who are our prime sub-contractors."
A Game Theoretic Approach for Threat Prediction and Situation Awareness,N00014-05-M-0205,DOD,NAVY,STTR,2005,1,70000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Genshe Chen,Research Electrical Engineer,3012945218,gchen@i-a-i.com,"Intelligent Automation, Inc. (IAI), and its sub-contactor, Professor Carl G. Looney from University of Nevada propose a highly innovative approach for Level 2+ information fusion using hybrid data fusion with adversarial Markov game, named a Game Theoretic Approach for Threat Prediction and Situation Awareness. The primary goal is to investigate and demonstrate the effectiveness of Markov game theory and the advanced knowledge infrastructures for Level 2+ information fusion, such as Situation Assessment (Refinement) and Threat Assessment (Refinement) and so on, therefore improve the capabilities of battlefield situation awareness. To achieve this goal, first, a hybrid data fusion approach is proposed to apply in Situation Refinement to perform spatial and temporal processing on tracks produced by Level 1 multi-sensor, multi-target track fusion, supplemented with intelligence information from both structured data sources such as databases and unstructured data sources such as ontology-based documents. Second, ontology-based information representation is proposed for building a Virtual Battlespace with less computational complexity in Level 2 fusion. Third, an adversarial Markov game framework is proposed for Threat Refinement to drive existing and newly formulated models of threat behavior with factlets derived from Situation Refinement to support the determination of possible enemy courses of actions."
Advanced Techniques for Electrical Wire Fault,N68335-05-C-0191,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,150000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contract & Proposal Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Eric van Doorn,Director of Sensor Technology,3012945229,evandoorn@i-a-i.com,"This proposal details a novel extension of Time Domain Reflectometry as applied to the detection and location of flaws in (aircraft) wiring systems. Our approach marries two methods commonly used for the inspection of conducting structures: TDR, and Eddy Current Testing (ECT). In many ways, TDR and ECT appear to be orthogonal methods. By combining them, key advantages of both (testing at distance for TDR, and sensitivity for ECT) are retained while avoiding some of their limitations. Our approach will not require the development of any new hardware. We will implement it on a low-cost version of TDR, which has been developed by IAI. Our TDR technology has already met several requirements in the solicitation: detection of insulation chafing, true one-sided access, and the ability to inspect active circuits."
"Wireless, In Situ Guided Wave Structural Health Monitoring System with a Power Harvesting Rectenna",N65538-05-M-0136,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,George Zhao,Research Engineer,3012945232,xzhao@i-a-i.com,"Structural integrity is a vital issue for mission success. Various defects such as metal cracks, corrosion, composite fiber breakage and delamination at critical loading areas, if not detected and repaired in time, may lead to a catastrophic system failure. Traditional inspection methods are limited to a point-by-point manner and very time consuming. Erection of scaffolding or disassembly of the structures is often needed to inspect the interior and inaccessible components. We propose a wireless in-situ guided wave health monitoring system. It consists of very small, low cost guided wave leave-in-place health monitoring sensors known as piezo-disks, an innovative Correlation Analysis Technique (CAT) for fast defect sizing and localization, a miniaturized local computing device with on-board pulsing, multi-channel data acquisition and processing capabilities, and a conformal microwave rectenna for wireless powering the in-situ system for remote monitoring. The envisioned system can inspect a relatively large area, instantaneously provide reliable and quantitative data such as defect location and severity levels; minimize and eventually eliminate the need for structural disassembly, and be able to communicate wirelessly and remotely to the maintenance personnel. The projected total cost of this system will be less than $3000."
Failure Precursors and Anomaly Detection in Complex Electrical Systems Using Symbolic Dynamics,N68335-05-C-0096,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,80000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contract Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Chiman Kwan,Vice President of R & D,3012945238,ckwan@i-a-i.com,"Failures in a plant's electrical components are a major source of performance degradation and plant unavailability. In order to detect and monitor failure precursors and anomalies early in electrical systems, we propose to develop signal processing capabilities that can detect and map patterns in already existing, available signals to an anomaly measure. Toward this end Professor Asok Ray at Penn State University has pioneered an elaborate mathematical theory of ""language measure"" based on real analysis, finite state automaton, symbolic dynamics and information theory. Application of this theory for anomaly detection results in a robust statistical pattern recognition technique. This technique is superior to conventional pattern recognition techniques such as neural networks and principal component analysis for anomaly detection because it exploits a common physical fact underling most anomalies which conventional techniques do not. This superiority has recently been demonstrated on electrical circuits, lasers and in mechanical components. The objectives of the research proposed by Intelligent Automation Incorporated (IAI) and its subcontractor are: (i) to develop real-time anomaly sensing and monitoring systems for early detection of faults in avionic electrical systems; and (ii) to experimentally validate the proposed concept on an active nonlinear electrical circuit."
Ultra Wideband Radio for Secure Communications in a Noisy Environment,N00178-05-C-3010,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Chujen Lin,Director of Comm. R&D,3012945236,chujen@i-a-i.com,"The innovation of this proposal involves ultra wideband (UWB) radios for secure communications between the inner element of a gimbaled system and an external computer. We propose to install one UWB radio on the inner components of the gimbaled system and another one on the inner surface of the aluminum sphere. The second radio is connected to the external computer through a wired connection depending on the data rate. Because UWB radios are wireless, they will not be affected by debris or moisture on the slip rings of the gimbaled system. Its interference to other narrowband communication systems is negligible so it can easily satisfy electromagnetic interference (EMI) standards. This is because the transmission power of UWB signals is distributed over a huge bandwidth and the power spectrum is usually below the environmental noise level. It is also very difficult to detect UWB radio signals due to their noise-like spectral characteristics. Another characteristic of UWB radio is that it is much simpler than conventional radio, which allows us to develop a miniaturized and light-weight UWB radio. All these features make UWB radios an ideal candidate for communications in Navy gimbaled systems."
"Early Detection of Failure Precursors Using Symbolic Dynamics, Neural Networks, and Principal Component Analysis",N68335-05-C-0247,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,80000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Ravindra Patankar,Senior Research Scientist,3012945248,rpatankar@i-a-i.com,"For early detection and monitoring of failure precursors in mechanical transmission couplings, we propose to develop signal processing capabilities that can map patterns in accelerometer data to an anomaly measure. Toward this end, Professor Asok Ray at Penn-State University has pioneered an elaborate mathematical theory based on symbolic time series analysis (STSA), statistical mechanics, and information theory. An anomaly detection algorithm is formulated by applying this novel STSA theory to create a robust statistical pattern recognition technique. For anomaly detection, this STSA technique has been shown to be superior to conventional pattern recognition techniques, such as artificial neural networks (ANN) and principal component analysis (PCA) because it exploits a common physical fact underling most anomalies which conventional techniques do not. This superiority has recently been demonstrated on electrical circuits, fatigue testing machines, and mechanical components undergoing fatigue due to vibrations. The research objectives are: (i) to develop a coupling model where gradually evolving damage phenomena can be introduced, (ii) to formulate and compare real-time algorithms for early detection and monitoring of failure precursors in model simulations based on three principal techniques and their variants - STSA, ANN, and PCA, and (iii) to demonstrate these algorithms on fatigue damage accumulating parts of a vibrating machine experiment."
Enhanced Prognostic Model for Digital Electronics,N68335-06-C-0088,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,80000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contract & Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Chi-Man Kwan,VP of Research & Development,3012945238,ckwan@i-a-i.com,"The ability to predict failures in aircraft electronic boards, their digital component elements and devices have the potential to reduce the risks of unanticipated failures while significantly reduce support costs. In this proposal, Intelligent Automation, Inc. (IAI) and Computer Aided Life Cycle Engineering (CALCE) Electronic Products and Systems Center (EPSC) at the University of Maryland propose an enhanced life consumption monitoring methodology for digital electronic boards and their components. Our approach involves a novel process to conduct Life Consumption Monitoring (LCM), including failure modes and mechanisms analysis (FMMA), virtual reliability assessment, sensor data pre-processing/feature selection, fault detection/identification/isolation, stress and damage accumulation analysis, and remaining life estimation. Meanwhile, the prediction output will be associated with a confidence distribution and adjusted by Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Confidence Prediction Neural Network (CPNN). Key advantages include better prediction of Remaining Useful Life than conventional methods, better prediction of some key parameters (thermal cycles and vibration loads) into the future so that prognostics information can be improved, incorporation of a simplified model that can provide ""what if"" predictions, and a data driven approach to improve the confidence of the overall predictions."
"An Accurate, Secure and Low-power Wireless Aircraft Tracking System",N65538-06-M-0047,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contract and Proposal Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Chujen Lin,Director of Communications,3012945236,chujen@i-a-i.com,"We propose to design a tracking system for aircraft onboard carriers using a wireless mesh network with a point-to-point ranging capability. The system is formed by many Integrated Communication and Tracking Devices (ICTD) mounted inside the cockpits of aircrafts and in some selected locations of the carriers themselves, such as the island or the ceiling of the hangar bay. The unique strengths of this tracking system are: 1) Highly accurate and precise; 2) Low RF emission; 3) Energy efficient; 4) All-weather and; 5) No multi-path interference. Each ICTD contains four modules ---- a processor, a communication transceiver (CTR), a ranging sensor (RS), and a motion sensor (MS). CTR transmits very low power RF signals to meet the emission control limit and form a wireless multi-hop mesh network. The ranging sensor is capable of measuring the distance between another ranging sensor and itself. This tracking system is able to provide uniform coverage in the flight deck and the hangar bay areas in all weather conditions yet meet the emission control restriction. The accuracy is estimated to be +/- 1 foot for location and +/- 5 degrees or better in heading."
Model-Based Reconfigurable Fault Tolerant Control of Jet Engines,FA8650-05-M-2582,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Frank Zhang,Senior Research Engineer,3012945269,xzhang@i-a-i.com,"In this proposal, Intelligent Automation, Inc. (IAI) proposes a novel reconfigurable fault tolerant control (FTC) approach for advanced jet engines to realize the full potential of model-based engine control technology. The proposed FTC architecture will be achieved through the integration of the model-based engine control concept with a new nonlinear diagnostic scheme that is employed to detect, isolate, and accommodate any faults in the engine signals used for adaptation of the onboard engine model. Therefore, the onboard engine model provides a good representation of the component performance of the physical engine even in the presence of faulty signals for adaptation. The reconfigurable adaptive engine model enables real-time monitoring of engine component performance, sensor/actuator fault diagnosis and accommodation by using virtual measurements of measurable engine variables, and optimal direct thrust control for individual engine. The proposed nonlinear fault diagnosis scheme employs a new nonlinear approach to residual generation and a transferable belief model based diagnostic reasoning method, which has the capability of directly dealing with nonlinear systems/faults, unstructured modeling uncertainty, the occurrence of new or unanticipated faults. The proposed method will lead to fuel efficiency, improved safety and engine performance, and longer service life of future jet engines."
"Predictable, Scalable QoS Routing for Ad Hoc Wireless Networks based on Heavy-Tailed Statistics",W911NF-05-C-0079,DOD,ARMY,STTR,2005,1,100000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Hongjun Li,Senior Scientist,3012945275,jli@i-a-i.com,"In this proposal, we identify QoS metrics based on our insights on heavy-tailed phenomena in ad hoc wireless networks, determine the potential performance impact of heavy-tailedness on ad hoc routing, define routing policies based on such insights and metrics, and propose a QoS Routing protocol (HAQR) that captures the heavy-tailed nature and provides quality of service for multi-hop wireless ad hoc networks. Performance metrics are identified as the 1st and 2nd order statistics of throughput, delay and packet loss. With respect to heavy-tailed traffic, L1 norm based estimation methods are exploited for the metrics estimation. The unique predictability nascent in heavy-tailed statistics is utilized to classify short- and long-lived flows and predict into the future for routing optimality and stability. In addition, time scales need to be carefully selected to ensure routing stability. HAQR possesses the advantages of both proactive and reactive routing paradigms and it has the following desirable properties: it (1) captures the heavy-tailed based metrics for routing decision, (2) adapts to the dynamic environment and accommodates the imprecise topology information, (3) reserves and releases bandwidth efficiently, and (4) reduces initial latency and routing overhead. The proposed algorithms for heavy-tailed based QoS routing are predictable, efficient and scalable."
An Adaptive Geographic Internet Sub-Protocol for Dynamic Wireless Networks,N68335-06-C-0034,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,80000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Hongjun Li,Senior Research Scientist,3012945275,jli@i-a-i.com,"In order to seamlessly integrate ad hoc and sensor networks with the Internet, we introduce a novel entity called Internet Sub-protocol Manager (ISM) that serves as the ""bridge"" between the standard IP and our geographic sub-protocol (SP). The standard IP stack (either IPv4 or IPv6) needs not to be changed. Rather, the ISM will encapsulate the original IP packets within the sub-protocol payload and provide an IP-in-SP tunneling. The sub-protocol exploits the geographical and mobility information available from the GPS equipped communication node and achieves position-based routing that incurs less storage and less processing overhead. The geographic routing provides alternate paths for such wireless nodes. While current geographic routing protocols are impractical, our proposed Cross Link Detection Protocol (CLDP) guarantees that geographic routing between all pairs of nodes will never fail. We have demonstrated that our approach achieves geographic routing correctly on real radio networks. ISM and our geographic routing protocol can be easily configured and we provide an efficient mechanism for wireless routing packet format discovery. In addition, we propose to adaptively manage the routes via proactive prediction of link expiration time and describe a method for differentiating link failure and congestion."
Computing a Semantic View of a Scene for Surveillance from Stereo and Discreet LIDAR,W15P7T-06-C-P603,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Priya Ranjan,Research Scientist,3012945268,pranjan@i-a-i.com,"We propose an innovative semantic approach to surveillance that combines the relative strengths and weaknesses of the passive 2D (single camera), passive 3D (stereo), and active 3D (LIDAR) sensing technologies to optimize performance. Our technology uses the high accuracy of LIDAR selectively to complement a passive stereo system when the cost in computation, energy consumption, and risk of exposure can be outweighed by a significant improvement in the performance of a system operating in purely passive mode. In this combined mode of operation, the active sensor would be used only infrequently and only in a very small area, permitting a relatively fast scan of the selected area with lower risk of exposure and lower computational burden. We illustrate a scenario where a (passive) stereo vision system and an (active) LIDAR system cooperate to render a semantic view of the activities that occur in a busy street intersection with individual pedestrians and vehicles represented by icons, and labeled with markers that describe their trajectories and activities. To maximize stealth, the LIDAR is only used rarely and on small parts of the scene when a probabilistic analysis shows the benefits of the requested active sensing outweighing the expense and risk of exposure."
A novel diagnostic system for inspection of fiber-optic cables,N68335-05-C-0291,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,80000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Eric van Doorn,Director of Sensor Technology,3012945229,evandoorn@i-a-i.com,"In this proposal, we outline a novel Pseudo Random Binary Sequence (PRBS) approach for low cost, non-intrusive inspection of fiber optic cables. The approach incorporates non-complex mixed signal electronic and photonic components that can easily be implemented as an ASIC to achieve compactness and allow easy integration with a fiber-optic cable system. This approach has already been tested at IAI by developing compact hardware as a part of a project funded by the FAA. The basic principle underlying the approach is the cross correlation property of a PRBS injected into a fiber-optic cable with the ensued reflection due to a cut defect or the end of the cable. The correlation of the exact input with the return signal gives the impulse response of the circuit (cable). This impulse response completely characterizes the transfer function of the cable. The electronic and photonic components required to implement our approach are already available commercially. Our approach does not require any high speed digitization and solves the resolution and dead zone problem associated with OTDR methods. During Phase I, we will develop a stand-alone system for inspection of fiber-optic cables. We will also develop a system diagram for an ASIC implementation during Phase II."
Innovative and Efficient Design of Directional Ultra Wideband Antennas for UAV Applications,W15P7T-06-C-P204,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contract & Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Xianyang Zhu,Senior Research Scientist,3012945278,xzhu@i-a-i.com,"UAVs are widely used for both military and civilian applications for their low cost and flexibility. However, conventional antenna design options are incompatible with the size, weight, power, required RF performance, and flight characteristics of UAVs. On the other hand, the antenna performance can be improved considerably with the integration of the airframe geometries. The key to efficient design such antenna for UAVs is to find a powerful electromagnetic simulation method that can handle complicated structures and an efficient optimization algorithm. A combination of parallel Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) and genetic algorithm (GA) will be employed for this Phase I program. FDTD is most suitable for simulation of arbitrary shaped homogeneous or inhomogeneous targets, while GA can provide global optimum in a relatively short time. A cavity backed antenna integrated with the airframe geometries will be designed, and the shape, substrate distribution, and the position of the antenna will be optimized."
"Expendable, tactically interconnected RF sensor network",W31P4Q-06-C-0007,DOD,DARPA,SBIR,2005,1,99000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Eric van Doorn,Director of Sensor Technology,3012945229,evandoorn@i-a-i.com,"Intelligent Automation, Inc. (IAI), proposes a novel, expendable, tactically interconnected cluster of RF sensors forming a sensor network. The use of communication links as tripwire sensor is the innovation of this proposal. We propose to use the radio motes called Mica2Dot (916 Mhz) and Telos (2.4 GHz, which use the Zigbee Protocol) from Crossbow Technology Inc, CA. Open source software called TinyOS operating system will be used in programming the motes. The communication/ RF links in such a sensor network will be exploited as follows: Real time tripwire sensing: We use the RF communication link itself as a bi-static radar to detect any movements near the Line Of Sight between radios (sensors). Hence we can: Distinguish between human, animal, and vehicular intruders. Separate signal strength fluctuations due to nearby cell phones or other transmitters to those caused by physical intrusions. Real time Intelligence: Effective intelligent algorithm Determines moving intruder information position, velocity and direction Alerts the next node to get ready to listen to this intruder that is coming in its direction Resolves simultaneous detection of more than one moving intruder advancing in different directions"
The Visualization Training Assistant,N61339-05-C-0107,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,80000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Jaqueline Haynes,Executive Vice President,3012945260,jhaynes@i-a-i.com,"As computer capabilities to generate visualization grow and research-based findings on instructionally effective visualizations grow, designers of instruction will find it difficult to keep up with best practices in applying appropriate and effective visualization techniques. Hence, the Visualization Training Assistant (VisTrAs) will be developed by Intelligent Automation Inc. to (a) deliver guidance in creating effective visualizations for training, (b) provide libraries of components with the capability to present effective visualizations, and (c) assist in embedding the objects in instruction using common instructional authorware. VisTrAs will use a case-based reasoning shell to provide guidance. We will populate the knowledge base for the reasoning tool with best practices derived from a literature review and guided by a panel of experts with diverse backgrounds. The interface will be extensively tested for use by instructional designers; we will use those findings to ensure that our product meets users' needs and expectations. We will demonstrate that objects with effective visualization methods can be placed in a library, and then extracted and inserted into instruction by instructional designers using common authorware."
Autonomous Collaborative Agents for Onboard Multi-Sensor Re-Targeting,NNA05CQ95C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Goutam Satapathy,,3012945249,goutam@i-a-i.com,"Technologies that support the configuration of sensors and satellites, and allow the reconfiguration or retargeting of sensors in response to user demand or significant events require mechanisms to autonomously understand the type and current state of on-board resources and to re-task these resources in such as way that the system achieves its global objectives. Here we propose the development of an integrated framework for onboard dynamic sensor (re)configuration, discovery and classification of data, based on SensorML (Sensor model language). We also model each satellite as a multi-criteria multi constraint optimization problem to optimize the usage of resources in response to significant events without adversely affecting the normal operations. This is achieved through negotiation among various satellites that have overlapping sensing capabilities so that globally optimal solutions can be found by computing joint plan qualities resulting due to sharing of resources. We propose to use IAI's propriety Cybele agent platform (www.cybelepro.com) that provides capability to model and simulate such complex distributed systems. DIVA a case tool developed by IAI would be employed to design and implement negotiation protocols among satellite agents to demonstrate the collaborative global optimization of autonomous planning process for multi-sensor retargeting."
Diligent data-power harness for high temperature wiring in engine bays,FA8650-05-M-2566,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Eric van Doorn,Director of Sensor Technology,3012945229,evandoorn@i-a-i.com,"In this proposal, Intelligent Automation Inc., (IAI) outlines a novel ingenuous method for wiring engine bays. The proposed wiring will function in engine bays with the following advantages: Withstands temperatures greater than 1500 ┐F Flexible harness capable of delivering both power, and data. Non-intrusive auto switching of data and power for integrity of the wiring system Withstands engines vibrations, heat and gas abrasiveness for a long life We propose an innovative scheme involving layering of ceramics, ceramic matrix composites, metal matrix composites and fiber optics assembly with innovative ceramic fiber sheaths, based on four key innovations: 1) Selection of ceramic fabrics sheath material for insulation of adjacent wires by means of high temperature ceramic insulators. 2) A novel harness design to assemble the packaging of the data and power wires in a harness 3) Integrated Diagnostics and Prognostics by means of an aircraft wire fault detection system with demonstrated sensitivity to aging insulation. 4. Robust harness architecture: when one of the wires fails the fault detection system senses the integrity of the system and switches to a redundant wire in the harness."
Cognitive Agent Framework for Self-Aware Satellites,FA9453-05-M-0119,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Margaret Lyell,Sr. Research Scientist,3012945223,mlyell@i-a-i.com,"Enhancing satellite Situation Awareness (SA) requires increased on-board automation for data processing,, intelligent decision making and capability for re-configuration and re-tasking. Our innovative solution to meet these goals is integrated agent-based framework coupled with innovative application of recent developments in ontology representation. Our solution has been based on the premise that any solution enabling situation awareness requires three core components: 1) a common model for the representation of the shared notion of the `Situation' between the satellite and ground station, 2) a mechanism for the semantic exposure of on-board sensory capabilities and the data generated by them, and 3) an integrated, composable and adaptable framework for processing raw `data' into critical `information', intelligent decision making and resource management. We propose ontological mechanisms for the representation of the situation model and the sensor metadata. The basis of the SA framework is a set of cognitive agents and a library of formally defined protocols and roles that describe the interactions between these cognitive decision components. This framework is built upon IAI's Cybele Agent Platform, which has been proven in large-scale decision making frameworks for air traffic control, logistics decision support systems, and distributed battle management (BMC2) systems."
Agent Based Distributed and Cooperative Intrusion Detection for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks,W911NF-05-C-0030,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,120000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Roger Xu,Principal Scientist,3012945242,hgxu@i-a-i.com,"In this proposal, Intelligent Automation, Inc. (IAI) and its consultant, Dr. Wenke Lee, propose to develop an intelligent agent-based distributed and cooperative anomaly and fault monitoring architecture for mobile ad-hoc network (MANET). In our proposed architecture, an anomaly and fault detection agent runs at each ""monitoring"" node and performs local data collection and local detection. Once an anomaly or fault is detected by a local ""monitoring"" agent, it collaborates with neighboring ""monitoring"" agents to perform cooperative detection, to investigate the source of the anomaly or fault, and to take cooperative response actions. We will develop an adaptive learning-based approach for building anomaly and fault detection models, which can be applied to both local and cooperative detection. RIPPER and Support Vector Machines (SVMs) will be used to detect intrusions and faults in MANET. The multi-agent cooperative monitoring and communication architecture will be designed based on IAI's novel Cybele agent infrastructure. The key innovations of the proposed architecture include: 1) dynamical and flexible configuration based on the agent technology; 2) the learning-based detection framework is able to detect new attacks or fautls; 3) low false alarm rate by using a cooperative detection engine; 4) excellent classification performance of RIPPER and SVMs, etc."
"A Novel Approach to EO, IR, SAR, and Hyperspectral Sensor Fusion",FA8718-05-C-0057,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Chiman Kwan,Director of Research and Design,3012945238,ckwan@i-a-i.com,"Target detection and classification is challenging because target detection and classification cannot be effectively carried out by pure visual inspection and must rely on some automatic algorithms. Intelligent Automation, Inc. (IAI) and its subcontractor, Prof. C. Chang of the University of Maryland at Baltimore County (UMBC), propose a new hybrid framework for target detection and classification using airborne images from two perspectives: spatial and spectral. The spatial approach focuses on texture analysis. The idea is motivated by the fact that the image texture will be disturbed if targets are present. This approach is applicable to EO, IR, hyperspectral, and SAR images. The spectral approach and has two steps. First, a new automatic target generation process (ATGP) is used to generate a set of potential targets from the image data in an unsupervised fashion without using any prior knowledge. Second, an Automatic Target Detection and Classification Algorithm (ATDCA) is used to identify the potential targets. The algorithm can be used to detect anomalies (new and unknown targets) in blind environments. The algorithm is suitable for surveillance operations where the objective is to detect the presence of any potential targets."
Agent Based Distributed and Cooperative Intrusion Detection for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks,W911NF-06-C-0017,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,2,730000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals M,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Roger Xu,Principal Scientist,3012945242,hgxu@i-a-i.com,"In this proposal, Intelligent Automation, Inc. (IAI) and its consultant, Dr. Wenke Lee, propose to prototyping and commercialize the intrusion detection algorithms for mobile ad hoc networks developed in Phase I. First, we will further improve the intrusion detection and identification algorithms and study intrusion response strategies to mitigate the damage inflicted by intrusions or anomalies. Second, we will define performance metrics and realist network scenarios containing both normal and anomalous behaviors and test our techniques against these scenarios. Meanwhile, we will develop a NetSim-based software prototype, with which the performance of various intrusion detection schemes can be evaluated. NetSim is an agent-based network simulation tool developed by IAI, It has several advantages over the well known NS-2 network simulator. Finally, we will develop a visualization tool for NetSim and deliver this tool to the Army at the end of Phase II. With this tool, topologies of the wireless networks can be displayed, detection results may be interpreted visually, anomaly sources can be indicated, and visual alerts such as different color codes can be issued. At the end, we will give the Army a demonstration of the technology developed and implemented in Phase II."
An Intelligent Hierarchical Approach to Actuator Fault Diagnosis and Accommodation,NNL05AA95P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69999.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Business Official,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Xiaodong Zhang,Principal Investigator,3012945269,xzhang@i-a-i.com,"This proposal presents a novel intelligent hierarchical approach to detection, isolation, and accommodation of primary aerodynamic actuator failures. The proposed architecture has three main components. First, a nonlinear fault diagnosis scheme is used to detect any fault occurrence and to determine the particular fault type. The proposed method can directly deal with nonlinear systems and nonlinear faults, unstructured modeling uncertainty, and new and unanticipated faults. Second, a controller module consists of a primary nominal controller and a secondary adaptive fault tolerant controller. While the nominal controller can be any existing conventional flight control system, the secondary neural network (NN) based adaptive controller is designed to accommodate primary control surface failures by utilizing control redundancy. A pseudo-control hedging method is used to prevent the NN from adapting to various actuation anomalies. Third, a reconfiguration supervisor makes decision regarding controller reconfiguration and control reallocation by using on-line diagnostic information. The proposed architecture is attractive in particular as a retrofit to previously certified flight control systems for improved flight safety. Our primary Phase 1 research objective is feasibility demonstration through extensive simulation studies. In Phase 2, we will refine the algorithms and develop the real-time control software."
Novel Approaches to Stochastic Pursuit-Evasion Differential Games with multiple players,W911NF-06-C-0016,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,2,730000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals M,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Chiman Kwan,Vice President of R&D,3012945238,ckwan@i-a-i.com,"In the phase 1 effort, IAI and its subcontractor, Prof. Jose B. Cruz of the Ohio State University (OSU), have proposed to systemically explore differential pursuit-evasion games with multiple pursuers and evaders. Our Phase I results have shown the theoretical possibility of rigorous formulation, analysis and solutions for stochastic differential Pursuit-evasion games involving multiple pursuers and evaders. The systematic approach enables us to connect this novel approach to the existing theories in pursuit-evasion games and general dynamic games. Up to now, step by step we have extended the existing theory on deterministic PE games with single purser and single evader to more a general game problem involving multiple players under uncertainty. However, in each step the problem can be further investigated in more theoretical depth. On the other hand, it is clear that stochastic pursuit-evasion game problem spans a wide range covering various fields in optimal control, dynamic game, filtering, tracking, artificial intelligence and cooperative control. Our Primary Phase II objective is to synthesize the newly proposed multiple players stochastic game theorems with the existing theories to create an efficient computational package for practical problems."
An Agent-based Multi-Tiered Key Management Scheme for Secure Multicast Communication,FA8750-05-C-0161,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99999.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Jason Li,Senior Scientist,3012945275,jli@i-a-i.com,"In this proposal, we propose an innovative agent-based multi-tiered key management (MTKM) scheme for secure TCP/IP multicast communications. The scalability problem is solved by partitioning the group members into subgroups, with a leader in each subgroup, and further organizing the subgroups into hierarchies. Each level of the hierarchy is called a tier. Key generation and distribution will follow the hierarchy, resulting in efficient re-keying operations. Actual communications are generally limited within a subgroup at a tier. Only subgroup leaders can propagate data transmissions across the hierarchies in most cases, and leaders can multicast data to selected subgroups. By doing such, our scheme is more secure and scalable without losing communication capability and flexibility. Further, subgroups can be reorganized to reflect member dynamics and deployment needs, plus we use soft states to adapt to network disruptions and provide added security guarantees. MTKM matches naturally the satellite-based military communication infrastructure, and mobile and/or less equipped users also fit in our scheme. Comparing with most other key management schemes, our approach is extremely scalable and efficient, provides more security guarantees, and is selective, adaptive and robust. Finally, our distributed agent infrastructure provides a reliable and efficient environment to fully explore and verify the proposed scheme."
Integration of Flight Control and Flow Control,FA8650-05-M-3539,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts & Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Xiaodong Zhang,Senior Research Engineer,3012945269,xzhang@i-a-i.com,"Past research work has shown the great potentials of active flow control by using collectively interacting synthetic jet arrays, where the actuation signals to the jet actuators were generated by open-loop strategies. In this proposal, Intelligent Automation, Inc. (IAI) and its subcontractor, Prof. Amitay of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, propose a novel approach to integrated flight control and flow control to improve the aerodynamic performance of air vehicles. The proposed approach consists of two main components. First, the degree of flow separation is controlled by using synthetic jet arrays operating at high frequencies, resulting in the formation of a quasi-steady closed recirculating flow region. Additionally, synthetic jet actuators have some unique properties including zero-mass-flux, low power consumption, and compact structure well suited for MEMS applications, etc. Second, a neural network based nonlinear adaptive control method (NAC) is designed to regulate the actuation signals to jet actuators to track a reference trajectory of the desired degree of flow reattachment. A major advantage of the proposed adaptive control scheme is its minimal dependence on an accurate model of the complicated system dynamics. In addition, a pseudo-control hedging method is used to overcome neural network adaptation difficulties due to various actuation anomalies."
Agent-Based Simulation and Assessment of NAS Security and Safety,NNA05BE08C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Vikram Manikonda,,3012945245,vikram@i-a-i.com,"The key innovation proposed here is the use of agent-based modeling and simulation to evaluate the safety of the National Airspace under crisis operations and develop tools for real-time planning, scheduling, and resource allocation decision aids for crisis management. We view the problem as one of simulating and controlling the emergent behavior of autonomous agents (aircraft and air traffic service providers in this case) in crisis situations. We propose to use NASA's agent-based Airspace Concept Evaluation System as the modeling framework into which we will integrate our models. We propose to evaluate the impacts of these malicious agents on the safety of NAS by using simulation to assess short term and long term NAS-wide safety impacts in terms of loss of separation, near misses, collisions, re-routes, controller workload, and economic impacts. The agent-based system will provide a real-time planning, scheduling, and resource allocation decision aid to be used for crisis management, by providing the user capabilities to develop and execute playbooks that represent various policies. Finally, we propose to develop safety metrics that will provide command center traffic management coordinators indicators to predict off-nominal activities in the airspace."
An Agent-Based Component Architecture for Cognitive Decision Support,W15QKN-05-C-1195,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contract Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Wilbur Peng,Senior Research Scientist,3012945255,wpeng@i-a-i.com,"In this SBIR Phase I effort, we propose an architectural framework and design methodology for cognitive decision aids based on software agents which addresses the fundamental challenge of creating agile decision support systems that can be rapidly adapted for evolving system configurations and requirements. The basis of this approach is an agent-based component model and a library of formally defined protocols and roles that describe the interactions between cognitive decision components. During system execution, each component is instantiated as a software agent with specified execution properties. The system components include bounded-time reasoning and planning components, sensor fusion components, and human interface components. The approach will support flexible composition of decision aid systems using reusable cognitive components. We will further demonstrate how an integrated software development tool-chain can be used to enable rapid design, testing and realization of different system configurations. The approach will be illustrated using in a prototype component model, architecture specification and decision-aid use case using in a networked fires application. In this Phase I effort, we will focus on formulation the overall methodology and architecture for creating agile, adaptable decision aid components and systems."
Non-Intrusive Method and System for Inspection of Aging Electronic Systems,FA8201-05-P-1005,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contract & Proposal Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Eric van Doorn,Director of Sensor Technology,3012945229,evandoorn@i-a-i.com,"In this proposal, we outline the Terahertz imaging technology to achieve low cost, non-intrusive inspection of electronic boards used in weapon systems. We describe how terahertz imaging is the best probe to detect defects like corrosion and surface failures inside electronic boards compared to other technologies like ultrasound, X-ray, etc. The Terahertz rays penetrates plastic, semiconductor or other non-metallic material while reflects metal. It responds to the chemical changes on metal and is has spectroscopic information i.e. color of the metal can be detected. So, defects like corrosion, rust, surface failures can be detected. The imaging technology also allows detection of mechanical changes that can be associated with phenomenon like electro migration. The radiation poses very few safety risks and sub-millimeter focus resolution is easily achievable. In this proposal, we describe the imaging algorithms that will be used to meet the requirements of the customer. By the end of Phase I, we will have completed investigating these algorithms for the current requirements and demonstrated this technology to detect all the defects of interest. We have also outlined the design of compact terahertz emitters and detectors that will be developed during Phase II to achieve hand held size of the hardware."
Novel Approaches to Stochastic Pursuit-Evasion Differential Games with multiple players,W911NF-05-C-0018,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,120000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contract Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Chiman Kwan,Vice President of R & D,3012945238,ckwan@i-a-i.com,"We propose to systemically explore differential pursuit-evasion games with multiple pursuers and evaders in continuous time and in random environment. We start with the simplest case with the assumptions of perfect information and common knowledge. The approach is a direct extension of Isaacs's method for differential games with a single pursuer and evader, where the concept of saddle point solutions is extended. Second, the assumption of perfect information is relaxed to that of complete observability. To simplify the theoretical analysis, a transformation of the objective function is considered such that the linear quadratic dynamic game theory can be applied directly. Asymptotic Nash equilibrium solutions can be easily determined in this case. Third, the assumptions of observability and common knowledge are further relaxed, the learning theory in games is proposed. In this case, a larger set of self-confirming equilibrium solutions is used to instead of Nash equilibrium. Fourth, for the situation that players cannot predict others' strategies, a decentralized objective function is constructed for each pursuer, and the maxmin strategy is proposed. The coordination control is achieved by using maximal Nash equilibrium solution among those distributed pursuers. Finally, a general nonlinear filter is proposed for each pursuer to estimate the observable state variables in noisy environment."
Seamless Mode Switching for Shared Control of Semiautonomous Vehicles,NNA05AC16C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Business Official,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Donald Myers,Principal Investigator,3012945235,dmyers@i-a-i.com,"Whether it be a crew station, the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS), an unmanned ground rover (UGV) or air vehicle (UAV), or teams thereof, the controllers for such systems will be complex, multilevel, usually distributed, systems. When a human user desires to switch between automatic and manual control, the transition must occur at all levels of the controller. There exist no well-developed strategies for managing such transitions and no proven methods for guaranteeing overall stability in the classical control-theoretic sense, or even safety and reliability in the general sense. These type of issues will span virtually every shared-control application in future NASA exploration systems. Intelligent Automation, Inc. proposes to use a two-level, distributed robot controller with multimodal user interface (UI) and demonstrate a technique to seamlessly transition between teleoperation and autonomous operation. The technique is based on using Hidden Markov Models to identify the current active state at each level of the controller. The demonstration platform was developed for a previous NASA project for JSC to develop automatic programming methods for astronaut assistants."
Approach to Enhancing Target Discrimination via 3D Visualization without 3D Glasses,HQ0006-05-C-7277,DOD,MDA,STTR,2005,1,100000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contract & Proposal Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Chi-man Kwan,Director of Research & Development,3012945238,ckwan@i-a-i.com,"There are many factors that render automatic target recognition challenging. These include cluttered background, adverse weather and acquisition conditions, spatially closed targets, spectrally-matched decoys, and the limits on sensor resolution etc. One solution is to have a 3D display, which will help discriminate the targets. However, a major challenge in rectifying the sensor streams, i.e. to relate one image to the other on a pixel-by-pixel basis, is that the sensors are not calibrated, thus simply using standard stereoscopic vision algorithms will not generate accurate stereo images. Here we propose an algorithm for stereo image creation in real-time, and has very high accuracy due to the use of state-of-the-art algorithms developed recently by this team. The first step is that we apply Gabor filter to systematically select pixel points as features. This feature correspondence and tracking algorithm will minimize the impact of errors caused by uncalibrated cameras and cluttered background. Then an efficient algorithm for tracking the feature points in the subsequent frames is used. Thus potentially we can have a real-time algorithm that can run with stringent constraint of computational resources. Finally, we have an efficient algorithm to create a stereo image."
An Integrated Architecture for Seamless Soft Handoff in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks,W15P7T-06-C-B604,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,68681.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Hongjun Li,Senior Research Scientist,3012945275,jli@i-a-i.com,"We present an integrated architecture for seamless soft handoff in mobile ad hoc networks, where various managers residing on multiple layers are proposed to handle handoff issues in a cross-layer and cooperative manner. At the link adaptation layer, the virtual interface provides link transparency to the upper layers and session management is handled at the interface manager. The device and system monitor reports information about the wireless interfaces, and the policy manager incorporates various aspects of factors for comparing interfaces. The handoff is optimized to execute policy-based decisions to keep network traffic delay and traffic congestion to a minimum. At the network layer, essentially most IP-based ad hoc routing protocols can be accommodated, and the architecture can naturally host QoS protocols, like Differentiated Services with admission control. In particular, we present our hybrid Mobile Agent Routing (MAR) protocol that possesses such desirable behaviors and supports various traffic types. At the transport layer, the transport manager is instructed by the interface manager to adapt the transmission rate according to the new wireless link. Finally at the application layer, the security manager handles various aspects of security concerns, including defense against man-in-the-middle attacks."
"A Small, Smart Medical System for the Soldier: the MedAgent System for Medical Diagnosis, Informatics and Treatment Support",N00014-06-M-0036,DOD,OSD,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Margaret Lyell,Senior Research Scientist,3012945223,mlyell@i-a-i.com,"We approach the development of MedNet from the perspective of modern intelligent systems design. In this project, the elements of modern small smart systems are designed to act in synergy to support a soldier's medical needs. In the design, small sensor devices on the soldier capture health status. Medical software support is hosted in a distributed manner, over a wireless connection, between the sensor devices and the PDA (which captures health status), and to a `ruggedized' laptop hosting medical databases and Grid Agents. Even though the MedNet system is `small', it provides multi-modal interfaces to medical personnel. Logical connectivity for the main elements of the system's software components is provided by software agent technology. Software agent system design is robust in the face of asynchronous communications, multiple activities, and de-centralized systems, and is well suited to interface with resources or external systems, such as TMIP. Software agent technology supports intelligence in the MedNet System; through the algorithmic structure of Grid Agents; in the agent-mediated knowledge store that is the medical cases database and its updates, in medical case retrieval and diagnosis support, in ontological support, and in how the agent-based user interface is designed and user requests agent- supported."
A New Hydrogen Assisted Crack Detector Using Ultrasonic Guided Wave Leave-in-Place Sensors,N00014-05-M-0300,DOD,OSD,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts and Proposals Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,George Zhao,Research Engineer,3012945232,xzhao@i-a-i.com,"High strength steel alloys are widely used for military and industry structures like ship frame, gun barrel and pipelines. One significant limitation of the use of high strength steel alloy components is hydrogen embrittlement cracking. Hydrogen, in the atomic form, can enter the materials from many sources (1) steel making, (2) welding, (3) corrosion and (4) cathodic protection. It can produce a range of deterioration resulting in reduced ductility to brittle fracture. The deterioration is even worse under sustained tensile load. In this proposal, Intelligent Automation Inc. (IAI) proposes a new approach to characterize and predict the behavior of Hydrogen Assisted Cracking (HAC) in high strength steel alloys. The technique is composed of very small, low cost guided wave leave-in-place health monitoring sensors known as piezo-disks, innovative Correlation Analysis Technique (CAT) for fast crack sizing and localization, and a miniaturized single board computer (SBC) with data acquisition and processing capabilities and a digital LED for displaying final results. A wireless module could also be added for remote monitoring. It is envisioned the total cost of this system will be less than $1500."
A Thin Film Transistor Based Ultrasonic Sensor for Aircraft Integrity Monitoring,NND05AA52C,NASA,NASA,STTR,2005,1,100000.00,"INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.","INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION, INC.",,ROCKVILLE,MD,20855-2737,Yes,No,No,Mark James,Contracts Manager,3012945221,mjames@i-a-i.com,Chiman Kwan,,,ckwan@i-a-i.com,"Intelligent Automation, Incorporated (IAI) and its subcontractor, Penn State U., propose a novel system to detect damage in aircraft structures. The system combines novel TFT based thin film actuators and sensors for signal acquisition and a robust software for fault prognosis and diagnosis. The actuator/sensor is known as PVDF-IDT (Polyvinylidine Fluoride Interdigital Transducer) that is integrated into a TFT switching circuit. It is low cost, compact, flexible, and has great potential for wireless interrogation. PVDF-IDT sensor has been proven to be useful for sensing cracks in rivet holes as well as other structural defects such as corrosion, delamination, and fatigue cracking. The second element of the system is an automatic fault prognosis tool, which consists of Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ), and Hidden Markov Model (HMM). PCA is a popular neural network tool for extracting useful features. LVQ is used to generate the code sequence. HMM has been proven to be extremely useful in several applications, however, HMM is used here to perform both fault prognosis and diagnosis. Our proposed system can perform continuous monitoring of aircraft structures in both ground and in-flight situations, and the sensors can be easily embedded into the structure."
Radiation-Resistant Solar Cell Coverglass,FA9453-05-M-0097,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99033.00,"ION BEAM OPTICS, INC.",2060 E. Ave de Los Arboles #D243,,Thousand Oaks,CA,91362 0137,Yes,No,No,Michael Fulton,President,8054931631,ion.beam@verizon.net,Michael Fulton,President,8054931631,ion.beam@verizon.net,"Solar cell coverglass coatings are subject to darkening under the Half-GEO radiation environment, and require increased radiation resistance. Premature power loss reduces satellite life below the required 15 year EOL goal and impacts the expense of satellite operation. We propose to apply advanced high-energy deposition technology to produce optical coatings for the cover glasses that exhibit high radiation resistance due to their superior micro-structural properties. These properties include bulk-like packing density, lower defect density, better optical homogeneity, and uniform morphology. We shall evaluate three of these deposition technologies in parallel, and after evaluating the results recommend one for production development. The research team brings nearly 70 years of experience in coating technology innovation and production development, with relevant experience in solar cell cover coating deposition, problem analysis, and solution development. The results will be applicable to all applications and requirements; military and commercial regardless of orbit, and could be marketed to the international solar cell panel industry."
Denial of Service Countermeasures Appliance (DOSCA) for Computer Network Operations (CNO),W9113M-05-C-0171,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,2,749965.00,"ISAC, INC.",201 East Side Square,,Huntsville,AL,35801,Yes,Yes,No,Marilyn McAllister,CEO,2564576537,marilyn@isac-usa.com,Andrew Smith,President/Principal Secur,2563481724,andy.smith@isac-usa.com,"Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks are potentially the most devastating form of computer network attack that could be launched against a sensor-to-shooter defense system. Denial-of-service attacks can bring down entire networks, making sensor-to-shooter network communications impossible and leaving situational awareness lost. In the Denial-of-Service Countermeasures Appliance (DOSCA) Phase I, ISAC demonstrated the feasibility of creating a comprehensive denial-of-service solution comprised of four modules: Prediction/Traceback, Detection, Out-of-Band Cyber Warning, and Mitigation. These modules leverage existing technology and use new, innovative solutions (such as CFD-DoS: ISAC's computational fluid dynamics-based network simulation, and ISAC's Out-of-Band Communication Software) to provide a much needed denial-of-service solution. In Phase II, ISAC will develop a DOSCA prototype with the four main modules for deployment on sensor-to-shooter networks. At the conclusion of the Phase II effort, ISAC will perform a live demonstration of the DOSCA prototype predicting, detecting, tracing back, warning via out-of-band channels, and mitigating a live denial-of-service attack."
Missile-in Flight Communication Alternatives,HQ0006-05-C-7241,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,2,399847.00,"ISAC, INC.",201 East Side Square,,Huntsville,AL,35801,Yes,Yes,No,Andrew Smith,President/Principal Secur,2563481724,andy.smith@isac-usa.com,Marilyn McAllister,Principal Investigator,2564576537,marilyn@isac-usa.com,"ISAC, Inc. proposes the development, testing, and demonstration of a Mobile C2BMC SATCOM prototype capable of using a variety of military and government constellations. The MCA will provide an urgently needed mobile C2BMC SATCOM solution for the BMDS by employing multiple simultaneous SATCOM connections, including UHF, EHF, SHF (X, KA, and Ku Band), NATO, and commercial. During Phase II, ISAC will adapt its revolutionary new and proprietary communications architecture and requirements analysis tool for use in analyzing mobile C2BMC SATCOM requirements. ISAC will then develop a multiple simultaneous SATCOM for C2BMC software/hardware system design specifications, simulation, and software /hardware prototype. The MCA prototype will be tested and if feasible actually demonstrated at the JNIC using a live EHF connection by ISAC in the Phase II effort. The base effort deliverables consist of a complete hardware/software prototype system design along with a SATCOM simulation prototype that simulates at the JNIC an EHF link between a mobile C2BMC capable of worldwide deployment and a remote sensor. During Option 1, ISAC will complete development of the SATCOM prototype through TRL-5 and if feasible (based on SATCOM link, terminal, and facilities availability) ISAC will demonstrate the actual multiple simultaneous SATCOM prototype."
VMF Fault Tolerant Active Defense for BMDS,W9113M-05-C-0113,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99990.00,"ISAC, INC.",201 East Side Square,,Huntsville,AL,35801,Yes,Yes,No,Marilyn McAllister,CEO,2564576537,marilyn@isac-usa.com,Andy Smith,President,2563253453,andy.smith@isac-usa.com,"The goal of Fault Tolerant Systems is to maximize the ability to continue critical operations following partial compromise or system failure. In VMF Fault Tolerant Active Defense (VFAD) Phase I, ISAC, Inc. proposes to: 1. Develop a low latency fault tolerant active defense capability that uses bait and switch to redirect attackers to a honeypot where they can do no harm. 2. Demonstrate that a fault tolerant active defense bait and switch honeypot can be employed safely in missile defense systems when used with a very low or no false alarm IDS. 3. Identify IDS systems capable of leveraging the highly standardized format of VMF messages to achieve extremely low or no false alarms, a condition absolutely essential for safe implementation of active defense. The VFAD architecture consists of three major components: A bait and switch modules that redirects attackers A virtual BMDS honeynet that can be used by the security manager to observe the attack as it unfolds, assess attacker intentions, and develop countermeasures An extremely low or no false positive IDS VFAD can be developed rapidly and inserted near term at a relatively low cost without major weapons or communications system systems redesign."
Disaster Avoidance and Recovery Rehearsal Tool (DARRT),W9113M-05-C-0114,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99990.00,"ISAC, INC.",201 East Side Square,,Huntsville,AL,35801,Yes,Yes,No,Marilyn McAllister,CEO,2567296786,marilyn@isac-usa.com,Andy Smith,President/Principal Security Eng.,2563481724,andy.smith@isac-usa.com,"Information Security and Assurance Corporation (ISAC, Inc.) proposes the development of a dynamic Disaster Avoidance and Recovery Rehearsal Tool (DARRT) to assist GMD information infrastructure providers in conducting on-demand disaster response rehearsals. According to the Department of Homeland Security, ""Efforts to develop software and systems that are more secure will take time to pay dividends, and even in the best case the nation's critical information infrastructure will remain vulnerable to serious attack for some time"". In this environment, network managers must be prepared to respond to catastrophic attacks, designed to take down entire networks. DARRT provides a virtual rehearsal environment that realistically and accurately reflects the actual network and disaster response features present in the GMD system. DARRT enables network managers to avoid or drastically reduce outage times by providing a virtual cyber warrior ""battle drill"" capability to train operators to rapidly and appropriately respond to most dangerous and most likely threat scenarios. In addition to pre-disaster rehearsal, DARRT can also be used by network managers during actual attacks to initiate and guide disaster response activities. DARRT consists of five modules: Disaster Scenarios Disaster Planning Disaster Simulation Disaster Rehearsal Performance Evaluation and Assessment"
Virtual Dynamic Honeynet Software for Insider/Outsider Defense (VDHS),W9113M-05-C-0112,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99963.00,"ISAC, INC.",201 East Side Square,,Huntsville,AL,35801,Yes,Yes,No,Marilyn McAllister,CEO,2564576537,marilyn@isac-usa.com,Andy Smith,Principal Investigator,2563253453,andy.smith@isac-usa.com,"Honeynets (and their predecessor - honeypots) have been demonstrated to increase network defense posture by providing deceptive targets for outside attackers and malicious insiders. ISAC, Inc. proposes the development of a virtual, dynamic honeynet software package specifically developed for sensor-to-shooter networks. This approach uses passive network and operating system fingerprinting techniques to automatically configure, update, and maintain virtual honeynets that realistically mimic weapons system components. Attacks directed at a virtual, dynamic honeynet are transparently routed to a sandbox environment, allowing security managers to determine attacker intent and preserve evidence for forensic investigation. Since no network traffic to a honeynet is legitimate, ISAC's virtual, dynamic honeypot will provide an accurate detection enhancement (no false-positives) to existing intrusion detection deployments and will provide a much-needed defense against the malicious insider problem. In Phase I, ISAC will develop the VDHS architecture, show feasibility of the approach, and develop a proof-of-principle demonstration that automatically configures a virtual honeynet to match the network to which it is connected and detects a malicious insider. In Phase II, ISAC will develop a full-featured prototype that automatically creates a realistic virtual network based on weapon system components, accepts attack redirects from the real network, and interfaces with existing situational awareness components."
CFD-Based Anomaly DETection Device (CADET) for Computer Network Operations,W9113M-05-C-0111,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99899.00,"ISAC, INC.",201 East Side Square,,Huntsville,AL,35801,Yes,Yes,No,Andy Smith,President/Principal Security Eng.,2563481724,andy.smith@isac-usa.com,Andy Smith,President/Principal Security Eng.,2563481724,andy.smith@isac-usa.com,"In this SBIR, ISAC proposes to develop an innovative, high-accuracy anomaly detection system for missile defense network systems. Currently, ISAC is developing a novel, CFD-based simulation software package named CFD-DoS that provides Denial-of-Service prediction and traceback for the MDA. Spray tracking capabilities utilized in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) are used to track and simulate information packets on a time scale that is faster than real time. What is needed, and proposed in this SBIR, is a new detection system that uses observed characteristics and metrics of the CFD-DoS simulation to create patterns of normal weapon system network traffic. The learned pattern of network behavior will then be used to detect network anomalies and alert security managers when attacks may be occurring. The proposed detection system (named CADET for CFD-Based Anomaly Detection Device) will be fully integrated into the CFD-DoS software. CADET is anticipated to outperform current payload anomaly detection systems (based on speed and low false-positive rate). At the conclusion of Phase I, ISAC will show feasibility by testing a CADET prototype against known network attacks, and demonstrating performance increase over current Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) and open-source anomaly detection systems. In Phase II, ISAC will further develop the CADET software, and demonstrate increased attack detection of both known and unknown network attacks on a live C3 network."
"Single Component, Zero Volatile Organic Compound, Chemical Agent Resistant Coating",M67854-04-C-5172,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,576567.00,Isotron Corporation,1443 N Northlake Way,,Seattle,WA,98103-8994,Yes,No,No,Christina Lomasney,CEO,2066320713,christina@isotron.net,Henry L. Lomasney,CTO,2066320713,hank@isotron.net,"This Phase II Small Business Innovative research effort pools the expertise of a qualified team of protective coating specialists to demonstrate the next generation of high performance coating materials for the Marine Corps. The objective of this Phase II SBIR is to demonstrate the effectiveness of a single pack, zero-VOC Chemical Agent Resistant Coating in a pilot-scale field deployment scenario."
Wide-area Toxic Industrial Chemical,D06PC75187 (formerly NBCHC050169),DHS,DHS,SBIR,2005,2,744397.00,Isotron Corporation,1443 N Northlake Way,,Seattle,WA,98103-8994,Yes,No,No,Christina Lomasney,,(206) 632-0713,christina@isotron.net,Christina Lomasney,,(206) 632-0713,christina@isotron.net,"The purpose of this SBIR effort is the demonstration of concept and deployment of a novel method of large-scale decontamination of
Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs). The Phase I effort demonstrated both neutralization and removal techniques for dealing with
decontamination. The decontamination system couples a Strippable Vapor Encapsulation Coating (ôISOLOCK-VCö) with a hybrid
inorganic/organic decontamination sol-gel. In some cases, a two step decontamination process while in others, decontamination could
be affected in one step. The Phase I effort successfully demonstrated Proof-of-Concept. This Phase II activity will advance the
technology to field scale trials and pilot-scale production and will deliver at least two TIC neutralization protocols for wide-scale use."
Therapeutic treatment for pseudofolliculitis barbae,1R43AR052592-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,79872.00,"ISW GROUP, INC.",893 NORTH WARSON ROAD,,CREVE COEUR,MO,63141,Yes,Yes,No,,,3148128033,KFedde@ISWGROUP.COM,George Lukas,,,,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The project objective is to provide a topical dermatologic formulation for the treatment and management of pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB). PFB can affect anyone who shaves, but is particularly prevalent in the African-American and Hispanic populations. Although men and women may suffer with PFB, it is especially an issue for men with coarse and/or curly facial hair. Based on US Census Data and a review of medical literature regarding PFB rates, approximately 17% of the US population may be affected. Problems of primary interest that are associated with PFB are those encountered by people required to use gas masks or devices requiring a good seal of a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) to the facial area. Compliance issues are extremely important for members of uniformed services (e.g., policemen and firemen), military and healthcare professionals, and other hazardous material personnel.
ISW Group has developed a proprietary and patented topical formulation that is effective in the treatment and management of PFB. This project aims to develop this formulation through the pre-IND and IND submission to the FDA. ISW will execute pre-clinical safety and toxicology studies and formulation development required for clinical trials."
Small Multi-Decade Communication Antenna,N68335-05-C-0143,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,639928.00,"JEM Engineering, LLC",8683 Cherry Lane,,Laurel,MD,20707-,Yes,Yes,No,Nancy Lilly,President,3013171070,nlilly@jemengineering.com,James Lilly,Chief Engineer,3013171070,jlilly@jemengineering.com,"JEM Engineering has demonstrated the technical feasibility of applying Inhomogeneous Lightweight Artificial Dielectric (ILIAD) technology to spiral antennas to achieve size and weight reductions in a multi-decade communications antenna, via computational modeling. The lightweight and low loss ILIAD material is based on frequency selective surface technology, where a homogeneous block of dielectric material can be replaced with an electrically equivalent lamination of circuit boards and foam, to achieve independently controllable dielectric permittivity in three orthogonal axes. The proposed Phase II program will apply this technology, to build a Broadband Multifunction Spiral antenna covering the 225-2500 MHz band, for use in UHF Satcom and other CNI applications. This reduced-size antenna will be 7"" x 7"" x 2"" deep or smaller, compared to a conventional spiral for this band which would be about 14"" square. It will be possible to use this antenna on a tactical Naval aircraft without significant structural modifications. JEM also proposes to develop a linearly-polarized CNI antenna for tactical Naval aircraft using the same technology."
Low Cost Phased Array Antenna System,NNG05CB10C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,2,591526.00,"JEM Engineering, LLC",8683 Cherry Lane,,Laurel,MD,20707-,Yes,Yes,No,Nancy E. Lilly,President,3013171070,nlilly@jemengineering.com,James Lilly,Principal Investigator,3013171070,jlilly@jemengineering.com,"JEM Engineering proved the technical feasibility of the FlexScan array?a very low-cost, highly-efficient, wideband phased array antenna?in Phase I, and stands ready to develop it into a fully-functional, flight-qualifiable prototype in Phase II. JEM developed an S-Band (2.0-2.3 GHz) antenna array design appropriate for the stratospheric balloon application through requirements definition, modeling, and performance predictions. The critical technology for this array is an electrically-controlled Variable Delay Line (VDL), used to provide true time-delay for beamsteering. VDLs were designed, built and tested, and shown to have excellent performance. The VDLs were tested over 2.4 million cycles without degradation, indicating good life, especially for the balloon application. A 4-port linear beamformer was built, and used to validate the beamformer concept. The objective of the proposed 24-month Phase II effort is to develop, prototype, and demonstrate a flight-qualifiable FlexScan phased array that achieves the bandwidth, antenna gain, and scan range required for a balloon-borne TDRSS data link in S-band, while meeting environmental requirements. Upon completion of Phase II, the FlexScan array will be ready to commercialize for the balloon-borne application, with other NASA and non-NASA commercial applications soon to follow."
Survivable Ballistic Antenna Radome,W15P7T-05-C-K012,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119977.00,"JEM Engineering, LLC",8683 Cherry Lane,,Laurel,MD,20707-,Yes,Yes,No,Nancy Lilly,President,3013171070,nlilly@jemengineering.com,James Lilly,Chief Engineer,3013171070,jlilly@jemengineering.com,"In this effort, a team comprising of JEM Engineering and the University of Delaware Center for Composite Materials proposes to develop multifunctional radomes for Future Combat Systems vehicle platforms that are capable of surviving ballistic impacts from small arms and similar threats. A concurrent design approach is proposed where composite materials that are capable of high levels of energy absorption will be evaluated as candidate materials in a radome design. A database of relevant material properties (dielectric and mechanical) will be developed to assist in material selection and design. Computational models will be developed for the radome to enable design iterations based on materials and geometry and used to predict both electromagnetic and ballistic performance. Representative composite panels based on the selected radome design, will be fabricated and tested. Electromagnetic performance will be quantified and used to validate the computational model. Quasi-static test methods will be used to evaluate energy absorption capability, with ballistic testing planned for the Option phase of the program. It is expected that Phase I will culminate in a prototype construction of a radome that can meet both the electromagnetic and ballistic requirements."
Non-Planar GPS Receiving Antenna,N00014-05-M-0226,DOD,NAVY,STTR,2005,1,69995.00,"JEM Engineering, LLC",8683 Cherry Lane,,Laurel,MD,20707-,Yes,Yes,No,Nancy Lilly,President,3013171070,nlilly@jemengineering.com,Derek Linden,Chief Scientist,3013171070,dlinden@jemengineering.com,"Research is proposed into the use of non-planar geometries for anti-jam GPS receiving antennas. The global positioning system (GPS) is an essential tool for military navigation. Unfortunately, GPS receivers are vulnerable to jamming, which can severely degrade performance, resulting in a need for anti-jam technologies to protect GPS receiving systems. Concept feasibility will be assessed by modeling and evaluating Combined Radiation Pattern Antennas (CRPAs) with cylindrical and spherical geometries, and comparing the null-forming performance of these antennas to a planar baseline antenna."
Ballistic Radomes for SATCOM Antennas,W15P7T-06-C-K012,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,68826.00,"JEM Engineering, LLC",8683 Cherry Lane,,Laurel,MD,20707-,Yes,Yes,No,Nancy Lilly,President,3013171070,nlilly@jemengineering.com,Derek Linden,Chief Scientist,7035875477,dlinden@jemengineering.com,"Radomes mounted on tactical combat vehicles, such as the HMMWV, Stryker, and On-The-Move Future Combat Systems (FCS) platforms, must be designed to withstand ballistic impacts in the field. Current radome designs are not capable of providing ballistic protection to antenna systems, which can lead to loss of communication for the vehicle when under fire. The proposed program will develop antenna radomes that demonstrate both RF performance and ballistic protection capability for SATCOM applications. The proposed radome designs will incorporate materials with high levels of energy absorption under ballistic impact in constructions that meet the performance requirements, which are to minimize distortion of the antenna pattern at frequencies between 20 and 45.5 GHz while being as light as possible and providing sufficient ballistic protection. Simulation tools will be used to model the RF performance for a given radome construction, state-of-the-art optimization tools will be used to enhance performance, and material tests on small samples of ballistic material will be used to downselect and optimize the radome design. Selected radome designs will be fabricated for RF testing and subsequent ballistic testing in the Option phase."
SBIR Phase II: Designer Cellulases for Biomass Conversion,0522310,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,2,500000.00,KAIROS Inc,10225 Barnes Canyon Road,,San Diego,CA,92121,Yes,Yes,No,Mary M. Yang,Ms,8586268170,myang@kairos-scientific.com,William J. Coleman,Dr,8586268170,wcoleman@kairos-scientific.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop new technology to improve the high-temperature performance of endoglucanase, which can be used to manufacture pulp from wood chips and other biomass. Producing pulp for papermaking via thermomechanical pulping (TMP) of biomass is a highly energy intensive process that is performed at high temperatures. Research is proposed to demonstrate the feasibility of using a directed evolution strategy and high-throughput, solid-phase enzyme library screening to engineer a new endoglucanase variant with significantly improved thermoactivity, thermostability and resistance to inhibitors. This enhanced enzyme will be sold as an additive to manufacturers who produce pulp and paper via the TMP process. Major benefits include energy savings and improvement of paper quality. The commercial application of this project will be on the pulp and paper industry. New screening technology will be used to engineer an enhanced enzyme that will modify pulp fibers under high-temperature conditions. This enzyme additive will accelerate the pulp refining process and thereby lower production costs by reducing the amount of electricity needed to complete the conversion. Any significant reduction in the energy input will be very economically attractive to the pulp producers. If introducing an effective enzyme treatment could eliminate even a modest 10% of the current energy expenditure, the potential worldwide savings could total nearly US$500 million per year. The enhanced enzyme will be able to create a new market by offering these significant savings to the pulp producers. In addition, the information gained from this study could be applied to other similar enzymes to expand the market for thermostable biocatalysts and broaden the understanding of protein structure-function."
Novel Low-Cost Full Position and Angular Orientation Sensors for Guidance and Control of Precision Munitions,W15QKN-06-C-0032,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69999.00,KALLAPAL ENGINEERING,2527 Condor Drive,,Audubon,PA,19403,Yes,No,No,Kalla Narayan,CEO,6105391739,kalla_narayan@yahoo.com,Kalla Narayan,CEO,6105391739,kalla_narayan@yahoo.com,"The position and orientation of smart and guided projectiles, including gun-fired munitions and missiles, must be accurately known in order for them to be able to successfully reach their targets. While various techniques are presently used, they are limited in their accuracy or require significant amounts of power. In the proposed project a novel orientation angle sensor for guided, gun-fired munitions is proposed to be developed. The system comprises a ground-based polarized RF source and waveguide sensors on board the munition. The project will be focused on optimizing the design and location of sensors on the munition to determine full 3-D spatial orientation of the munition and the development of algorithms to determine the spatial orientation of the munition based on the received power at the sensors. Additionally, a novel means of determining the position of the munition using RF source and receivers will be investigated."
Weapon System Design Simulation,FA8650-05-C-6526,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,749692.00,"KELLEY'S LOGISTICS SUPPORT SYSTEMS, INC.",2091 Exchange Court,,Fairborn,OH,45324,Yes,No,No,Steve Powers,Vice President,9378793483,steve.powers@kelleylog.com,Nancy Brown,Principal Software Engine,9378793483,nancy.brown@kelleylog.com,"This proposal is recommending the investigation and evaluation of technologies and process changes to enhance the training of Air Force aircraft maintenance technicians and improve their job skills. As current weapon systems average life increases, system discrepancies become more and more prevalent and the types of problems go beyond the normal fault code - remove and replace scenario. The current generation of maintenance technicians were generally trained in an environment in which a fault code equates to a predetermined remove and replace. Improving the troubleshooting and repair of Air Force weapons systems is a broad goal that touches on many disciplines. The KLSS Team is aware of many past and present projects that have focused on aspects of the goal and achieved notable successes. We plan on leveraging these projects and focusing on current technologies to enhance the human effectiveness of our mechanics. We plan to investigate the latest types of media presentation and use human factors engineering to find the best applications of media and media devices to improve OJT and classroom training and troubleshooting."
Production of Cypripedium Montanum Seedlings for Commercial Value and Reintroduction Into Restoration Projects,2005-33610-16243,USDA,USDA,SBIR,2005,2,296000.00,Kelsey Creek Laboratories,13206-233rd Ave. SE,,Issaquah,WA,98015,Yes,No,No,Roger Smith,,4253511075,kelseycreeklabs@comcast.net,Roger Smith,,4253511075,kelseycreeklabs@comcast.net,"The wild orchid, C.montanum, is endangered and rarely seen in the natural setting. Laboratory techniques will be applied to the germination of seeds and resulting propagules will be planted in various settings thought to be ideal for their growth. Additionally, seedlings that have grown for 14-18 months in vitro will be provided to nurseries for growth as saleable plants for their business. This will reduce the need for poaching the plants from the wild. This project will apply the expertise of laboratory and naturalists personnel for restoration and development for plant sales."
Commercialization of a Kenaf-Based Biosorptive Process for Use in the Treatment of Contaminated Aqueous Streams,EP-D-05-050,EPA,EPA,SBIR,2005,2,223560.00,KenGro Corporation,P.O. Box 432,,Charleston,MS,38921,Yes,No,No,Gabriela K. Brasher,Owner/President,6626472456,gbrashere@kengro.com,Benton Brasher,Vice President,6626472456,bbrasher@kengro.com,"The state of affairs facing engineers and scientist attempting to treat low level contaminated water using current technologies results in the selection of a process that has significant shortcomings. A technically superior, yet operationally simpler treatment process within a reduced cost bracket is needed to assist industries in meeting ever changing environmental regulations. One of KenGro┐s goals is to provide kenaf-based products as an effective biobased alternative for treating contaminated aqueous streams. The envisioned process involved the loading of a vertical contact tank to be packed with chopped kenaf. Contaminated water will be passed through the column and contaminants will adsorb onto kenaf fibers. This adsorption step will be operated much like an activated carbon column. The results of the Phase I SBIR provided a strong basis to continue efforts for commercialization of a kenaf-based biosorptive process for use in water treatment. Once the kenaf becomes spent, the fibers will be removed and place into a compost bed. The compost bed will be used to reduce the volume of the kenaf mass (the adsorbent) while concentrating the heavy metals and degrading the adsorbed biodegradable contaminants (adsorbates) via biotreatment. The envisioned compost units are easy to operate and fit nicely into a rural industry┐s capability due to realistic footprint and low-tech training requirements. The main objective of Phase I SBIR was the development of key performance inform-ation on the use of Kenaf for its ability to remove diesel fuel, zinc, and lead from aqueous solution. This was performed via preparation of adsorption isotherms for the three water contaminants using three processed forms of kenaf (stalk, core, and bast). The effect of pre-washing and/or pre-oxidizing the kenaf on the adsorption isotherms was evaluated for zinc and lead. The loadings show that kenaf fibers do have an adsorption affinity for both inorganic and organic adsorbates. Ozonation and washing appeared to provide some benefit but differences in the value of this processing step were quite dramatic indicating a need for more development of this novel approach. Another objective of Phase I was to evaluate the rate of compost degradation and track the fate of a pollutant during this degradation process. Composting of kenaf fibers were found to be a relatively straight-forward process with relatively high mass-degradation rates observed. The objective of the proposed Phase II SBIR proposal are to: (1) Study the effect of numerous washing techniques on adsorption capacity, (2) Closer evaluation of the surface benefits of surface oxidation on kenaf adsorption capacity, (3) Evaluate the impact of product storage on the kenaf product toward lead, methylisoborneol (MIB), toluene, ethylbenzene, and o-xylene. (4) Evaluate kenaf for adsorption of additional pollutant classes, (5) Examine competitive adsorption of key contaminant classes, (6) Optimized the rate of degradation observed within the composters and evaluate the impact of high levels of heavy metals on the observed compost rate. (7) Set-up a pilot system that fully mimics the envisioned full-scale system to be commercialized, and (8) Record the results of the Phase 2 effort within the form of a detailed project report. A common method to be used to conduct all necessary experimental tasks is the generation of adsorpti9on isotherm data. Chemical analyses and reactor configuration will be performed using duplicate experimentation. Analytical techniques to be employed will be those approved by the USEPA and/or published peer reviewed standard techniques. It is expected that the successful implementation of the proposed Phase II SBIR will yield the necessary information to determine the efficiency and commercialization potential of kenaf as a bioadsorbent for treating organic and inorganic contaminated waters,"
"Very compact, high performance IR emissive source array",FA9302-05-M-1006,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99958.00,KLab Corporation,109 Stryker Lane,Bldg 3 Suite 9,Hillsborough,NJ,08844,Yes,Yes,No,Gary Huang,President,9087644836,ghuang@klabcorp.com,Kaiyan Zhang,"Director, Advanced Technology",9089041400,kzhang@klabcorp.com,"Generation of extended IR scenes without flicker is critical to many DoD applications. The current technology is limited in temperature, crosstalk, refresh rate, controllability, heat dissipation, and packaging. Source technology advancements are needed to create IR source elements that can be independently controlled in frequency, temperature, and emission duration. K Lab Corporation, proposes to develop a novel thin film IR source array by using wide bandgap SiC and unique thermal barrier structure. This IR source array will possess many novel properties for this application which are high temperature operation of up to 1000┐C, temperature rise and fall rate in the range of 1ms and 10s ms, minimized crosstalk at level of 1%. Another advantage of the array will be its ability to scale down to very small element size. Array size of 40x40 on a 4""x4"" emitting area with a fill factor of 50% can be easily achieved using the design. In Phase I, K Lab will demonstrate the proposed concept using 4x4 small emitter array. A fully functional 4""x4"" array containing up to 40x40 elements in a densely packed configuration will be demonstrated in the Phase II of the program."
Partnering to Cultivate 5 a Day via School Gardens,2005-33610-16469,USDA,USDA,SBIR,2005,2,296000.00,"KLEIN BUENDEL, INC.","1667 Cole Blvd, Ste 225",,GOLDEN,CO,80401-3313,Yes,No,No,Lee Stiffler-Meyer,Project Manager,3035654344,lstiffler-meyer@kleinbuendel.com,Lee Stiffler-Meyer,Project Manager,3035654344,lstiffler-meyer@kleinbuendel.com,"Reports indicate that children are far from attaining the Healthy People 2010 goals for nutrition and physical activity. Schools are likely the most efficacious setting for delivering nutrition and physical activity education to children. Effective and convenient tools are needed for educators to communicate health information to an elementary school population. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a school gardening curriculum at improving the nutrition and physical activity behaviors of elementary school students, specifically fruit and vegetable consumption."
"SBIR Phase I: A Single-Use, Widely Dispersible Wireless Sensor System",0441112,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,1,98953.00,KMG2 Sensors,200 Innovation Blvd,Suite 236,State College,PA,16803 0660,Yes,No,No,Keat G. Ong,Dr,8142388161,kgong@kmg2-sensors.com,Keat G. Ong,Dr,8142388161,kgong@kmg2-sensors.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to develop and apply magnetoelastic sensors as a single-use, widely dispersible distributed wireless sensor system. The commercial application of this project will be in protection against bioterrorism."
High Precision Event Extraction Using Predicate Arguments (HIPEPA),FA8750-05-C-0139,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99968.00,Language Computer Corporation,2435 N. Central Expressway,Suite 1200,Richardson,TX,75080-,Yes,No,No,Yolanda Guzman,Senior In-House Counsel / Financial,9722310052,yolanda@languagecomputer.com,Sanda Harabagiu,Chief Technical Officer,9722310052,sanda@languagecomputer.com,"Our goal is to facilitate visualization of event information using a novel event extraction paradigm that achieves accuracy close to that of human analysts and allows both a simplified customization to new domains and extraction of complex events expressed as an event extraction framework. The event extraction framework replaces the pattern-based paradigm with predictate-argument structures that allow extraction of events in any domain. Mappings to new domain of interest can be learned in this new paradigm by making use of maximum entropy models. Furthermore, this novel paradigm that we propose takes advantage of several novel open-domain features including (1) an open domain semantic parser used to extract syntactic and semantic information (e.g. predicate-argument relations) from source documents and (2) discourse processing techniques such as coreference resolution of events produced by event normalization and event fusion. This paradigm allows temporal and spatial normalization of events such that space or time expressions are recognized and normalized when they are not explicit references e.g. ""last summer"", ""four years"" (duration), every month (set), and ""a year after the earthquake (event anchored expressions). Similarly, in the case of special expressions, we consider implicit references e.g. ""second house"", areas of the country such as ""The South"", sets ""every river"", and event anchored expressions, e.g. ""twenty miles north of Baghdad"". As technical leaders in the field of Natural Language Processing and its application to unstructured text understanding for the military and intelligence communities, Language Computer Corporation (LCC) is well suited to provide this capability. Our proposed work on this SBIR, called High Precision Event Extraction Using Predicate Arguments (HIPEPA) will provide a framework for event extraction that is accurate, domain relevant, and easily customized to the dynamic information needs of the intelligence analyst. LCC will build on our experience and existing capability to provide a prototype pattern-free event extraction framework that normalizes spatial and temporal information for visualization and supports the detection and fusion of event data."
Visual - Spatial Math Problem Solving Strategy Intervention for Math Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms,H133S050167,ED,ED,SBIR,2005,2,500000.00,LEARNIMATION,53 WEST 90TH ST STE4,,New York,NY,10024-1586,Yes,No,No,Sarah Manning,PD,2124967536,http://www.learnimation.com,Sarah Manning,PD,2124967536,http://www.learnimation.com,"Development and validation of a universally designed, handheld/wireless educational software intervention to train students with learning disabilities and their teachers in translating mathematical word problems into visual-spatial schematic models"
A Novel Technology to Improve HIV Medication Compliance,2R44AI052634-03A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,2899958.00,"LIFETECHNIQUES, INC.","LIFETECHNIQUES, INC.",217 Alamo Plaza,SAN ANTONIO,TX,78205 2692,Yes,No,No,Jerolme Hahn,,8055699898,JHAHNEMAIL@YAHOO.COM,Vesta Brue,,8054481292,vestabrue@usa.net,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has led to one of the most costly and devastating epidemics of the last two decades. Untreated, the virus slowly destroys the immune system, leading to significant morbidity and virtually 100% mortality within two to twenty years after initial infection. Fortunately, recent advances in antiretroviral therapy have allowed for almost complete inhibition of viral replication in infected individuals. Unfortunately, the ability of the virus to rapidly mutate and become resistant to treatments necessitates the administration of multiple medications, using complex dosing schedules, in order to maintain viral suppression. Although adherence to these complicated treatment regimens is paramount, even the most vigilant persons have difficulty maintaining these protocols for extended periods of time. The purpose of this project is to retool and test a computerized pillbox that will allow convenient storage and transport of antiretroviral medications for persons infected with HIV. The device is designed to further aid adherence by incorporating reminding signals at dosing times and usage reporting functions. The device was tested in Phase I and demonstrated highly positive usability ratings and significant association with increased medication taking timing compliance (as observed via pill lid openings). Modifications that were suggested in the first test will be implemented, and the beta unit will be tested in focus groups before production units are built and beta tested. When finalized, the device and its infrastructure will be tested in a study population of HIV patients in order to determine its effectiveness, usability, and validity in increasing medication compliance."
Pills & Patient Behavior Smarter Experience Tracking,1R43AG025612-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,198864.00,"LIFETECHNIQUES, INC.","LIFETECHNIQUES, INC.",217 Alamo Plaza,SAN ANTONIO,TX,78205 2692,Yes,No,No,Vesta Brue,,8055699898,VESTABRUE@USA.NET,Vesta Brue,,8054481292,vestabrue@usa.net,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Medication noncompliance is highly problematic in pharmaceutical studies. Without direct observation of pilltaking patterns, investigators - much like clinicians-are often misled by reported adherence, resulting in false interpretation of a protocol's true effects. Pill counts fail to reveal timing of intake, lost or hoarded medications, and ""white coat"" compliance in which patients compensate for missed pills by dosing heavily before appointments. Applied researchers have relied on retrospectively captured data that suffer from autobiographical and recall biases; low frequency of measurement, which may result in poor reliability; and inability to capture fine-grained, process data that may shift and change over time. Gerontological studies are particularly vulnerable to reporting errors due to large quantities of drugs taken by elders, high dosing frequencies, interactions between pills, cognitive impairment that is associated with elder years-all of which result in further confusion in self reports. For Pharmaceuticals, improved data quality can lead to rapid time to market for a new therapy, and with it, cost savings and alleviation of suffering. More reliable data collection methods can reduce the period a drug needs to be under evaluation, its digitalization time, and number of specialized personnel before it can be commercialized.
Various electronic tools have emerged that provide various parts of a solution. Personal digital assistants (PDAs) help investigators pose questions and collect data that can be transferred to the host environment, but none are attached to the behavior being measured. Electronic medminding devices serve to measure pilltaking in its temporal context but none for multiple medications simultaneously in an affordable, patient-friendly portable device. This application calls for an integrated infrastructure that will support a 4-bin computerized pillbox that exists in prototype form. Together, the system will provide passively monitored, real-time data capture of pill consumption in naturalistic settings, and collect responses to study questions posed daily. When built and tested, the integrated research system will be an affordable, flexible, and end-to-end data collection infrastructure to assist in human subjects trials. It will be tested here in a crossover study among 40 elderly patients, each taking four drugs and responding daily to device-generating questions."
Biometric Authentication and Secure Information Services for Wireless Devices,W15P7T-05-C-M001,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,Lightcloud Software,3964 Vierra Street,,Pleasanton,CA,94566 0221,Yes,No,No,Elaine Lusher,President,9254859816,elainelusher@netscape.net,Elaine Lusher,President,9254859816,elainelusher@netscape.net,"Security concerns have constrained widespread use of small wireless devices for computing. Flaws include the lack of tight over-the-air security in the IEEE 802.11 standard and the lack of strong authentication. While IEEE 802.11 flaws, such as the weak encryption method, are being addressed, strong authentication has not been pursued by wireless vendors. Most current authentication methods rely on passwords, which are not fully secure and require the user to remember cryptic data. Biometric authentication, if highly accurate, would provide strong device security and allow user services to be appropriately restricted. For classified military applications and proprietary enterprise applications, such as legal applications (where the law mandates client-attorney confidentiality) and medical applications (where patient confidentiality must be protected), weak authentication methods are insufficient. Should the device fall into hostile/unauthenticated hands, compromised security could have serious military or legal consequences. The objective of this project is to research state-of-the-art biometric methods and design a software architecture incorporating biometric authentication and offering user and security services based upon valid authentication."
Development of a Nemeth Math to Latex Backtranslator System,H133S050160,ED,ED,SBIR,2005,2,312150.00,Logical Software Solutions,8200 Chambray Ct.,Suite B117,Plano,TX,75025 5523,Yes,No,No,Deepa Gopal,,9723907329,deepa.gopal@hotmail.com,Deepa Gopal,PD,9723907329,deepa-gopal@hotmail.net,Development of a completely automatic backtranslation system for translating Mathematics encoded in Nemeth Math Braille notation (used by visually impaired individuals to repesent Mathematics) to Latex (a widely used word processor for typesetting mathematics)
SBIR Phase I: Development of a Nemeth Math to Latex Backtranslator System,0441796,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,1,94440.00,Logical Software Solutions,8200 Chambray Ct.,Suite B117,Plano,TX,75025 5523,Yes,No,No,Deepa Gopal,Ms,9723907329,deepa_gopal@hotmail.com,Deepa Gopal,Ms,9723907329,deepa_gopal@hotmail.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will conduct research to develop a commercial quality PC-based system for automatically back-translating mathematics encoded in Nemeth Math Braille notation to LATEX. The system will greatly facilitate communication of visually impaired students, scientists, and engineers with their sighted instructors and colleagues. It will also greatly help in facilitating learning of mathematics by elementary, middle and high school students. Translation of Nemeth Math Braille to LATEX is known to be a hard problem. Using novel approaches of denotational semantics and logic programming in earlier research, Logical Software Solutions (LSS) developed a proof-of-concept system that can back-translate complete mathematical documents containing both Nemeth Math and literary Braille text to LATEX. The prototype system developed, however, is limited. It does not handle all the spatially laid out Mathematics (matrices and grade school arithmetic and algebraic addition/subtraction problems.). In this project, LSS will conduct research to extend the prototype system so that spatially laid out mathematics can be fully handled. The research should make good progress toward a complete software environment approach commercial quality. It should be noted that until recently the back translation problem was widely believed to be unsolvable due to the language-complexity of Nemeth Braille Math. The proffered back-translation system will be usable a stand-alone software system that can convert math documents coded in Nemeth code to LATEX. The system has the potential to have a significant impact in the classroom environment, as blind students of mathematics, science and engineering at universities and community colleges will be able to write answers to homework and exam questions in Nemeth Math notation and have them automatically converted to LATEX for grading by a sighted instructor. Blind students at middle schools and high schools will also be significantly affected. According to the National Federation of the Blind, there are 93,600 blind children attending school in the U.S. alone. Likewise, the 1,166 community colleges in the U.S. and 417 universities with enrollments of more than 10.000 students serve tens of thousands of visually impaired students. The firm's market survey indicates that these institutions of learning (school districts, community colleges and universities will be potential customers."
SBIR Phase II: Advanced Planning and Scheduling Tools for Extended Enterprise Systems,0450552,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,2,394965.00,LS Optimal Inc.,1445 Starr Grass Drive,,Madison,WI,53719,Yes,Yes,No,Guining Li,Mr,6088331189,guining@yahoo.com,Guining Li,Mr,6088331189,guining@yahoo.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will build upon the successful development of the Phase I project that developed models and algorithms for planning and job scheduling systems. The software tool described in this proposal will allow organizations to schedule their operations in real-time to generate the optimal plan to maximizing their operational targets. During Phase I, the team created new planning and scheduling algorithms and successful empirical studies using recent innovative research in the areas of large-scale optimization and the newly developed methodology of Nested Partitions. In Phase II the team plan to further develop the concept to create successful implementations in several manufacturing firms. The technology to be developed in Phase II will greatly enhance the capability of the current planning and scheduling software tools. This innovation brings the state-of-the-art decision and optimization methodology to the Advanced Planning and Scheduling software market. In addition, planning systems developed with the proposed methodology will add new levels of flexibility for companies to more quickly adapt to changing material, operational, and market conditions. This SBIR project will make new planning and scheduling tools broadly accessible to virtually any manufacturing firm. The proposed scheduling and planning tools will enable them to communicate, collaborate, and integrate their planning and scheduling functionalities to obtain optimal results throughout their enterprise and their entire supply chain. It is expected that coordinated use of these tools will eventually create an integrated cyber-infrastructure for American manufacturing firms and create more efficient supply chains that will enable these firms to be more competitive in the global marketplace. Moreover, if successful, the development of this proposed tool will lead to fruitful attempts to develop and commercialize an advanced planning and scheduling software tools that can be used for many other sectors of the economy."
Free Space Optics Near-ship Low Probability of Detection Communication Capability,N00024-04-C-4185,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,597248.00,LSA,1215 Jefferson Davis Highway Suite 1300,,Arlington,VA,22202,Yes,No,No,John Graham,CFO,7034164600,jgraham@pipeline.com,Dale R. Tyczka,Principal Investigator,6103635808,dtyczka@lsainc.com,"Free-space optical (FSO) communication's inherently low probability of intercept, resistance to jamming, lack of licensing requirements, ease of use, high-speed capability, and compact size make it an ideal addition to the array of equipment that can be used to form a near-ship network backbone.
We propose to develop a littoral and near-ship communication (LANSCOM) network to satisfy the modern military's need for robust high-data-rate communication between ships and shore-based platforms. We will accomplish the goals of this program by integrating sophisticated optical tracking techniques, COTS network electronics, GPS equipment, and miniature protocol-independent FSO transceivers that can be mounted on small vehicles or carried and operated by individual personnel. This system will be designed for compatibility with future communication needs, as well, and will extend high-data-rate communication to support craft, UAVs and manned aircraft. Our considerable equipment experience and proven expertise in FSO communication systems place us in a unique position to develop a system that addresses all of the relevant issues, from link availability to marketing strategies."
Data Mining Assisted Discovery of Novel Organophosphorou,1R43GM075437-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,95150.00,"LYBRADYN, INC.","LYBRADYN, INC.","125 WINDSOR DR, STE 126",OAK BROOK,IL,60523 1536,Yes,No,No,,,6305758313,,Robert J. Turner,,6305758313,rturner@lybradyn.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Organophosphorous (OP) neurotoxins such as paraoxon, sarin, soman, VX and Russian-VX, are a broad class of chemicals commonly used as chemical warfare (CW) agents. Currently, over 100,000 tons of chemical warfare agents are stockpiled worldwide. In addition, thousands-of-tons of OP compounds are used as pesticides and are annually released into the environment. Enzymes known as phosphotriesterases, commonly called organo-phosphate hydrolases (OPH's), are capable of hydrolyzing OP pesticides and CW agents into harmless products. Organophosphate hydrolases have recently become the focus of intense research efforts aimed at developing these enzymes into products for enzyme-based decontamination. However, currently available enzymes lack many of the desired properties such as solution solubility, thermal and pH stability and substrate specificity for all of the potential applications of OPH's. Numerous OPH homologues can be identified from the copious number of bacterial and archael genomes that have been either partially or completely sequenced. Unfortunately, many if not most are not active organophosphate hydrolases. We have developed a data mining method for identifying active OPH's. The method has already been used to discover two novel OPH's from the thermophiles Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Sulfolobus solfataricus. The current method of discriminating between active and inactive OPH's is dependent upon a limited pool size of active OPH's. We propose to isolate and analyze a series of five OPH homologues in order to refine our method of identification in order to maximize the pool size of active OPH's. In addition, the Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Sulfolobus solfataricus enzymes will be further characterized (including crystallization) for their suitability for use in enzyme-based decontamination systems."
"Innovative, Weight Efficient, Composite/Metallic Structural Joining Concepts",FA8605-05-M-3526,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99972.00,"M&P TECHNOLOGIES, INC.",4870 Lake Fjord Pass,,Marietta,GA,30068 1635,Yes,No,No,"Jim M. Criss, Jr.",President,7709937397,jim.m.criss@MandPTechnologies.com,"Jim M. Criss, Jr.",President,7709937397,jim.m.criss@MandPTechnologies.com,"Currently aircraft composite and metal structures are joined by fastening them in place using riveted or bolted joints. Although fastened joints largely avoid concerns associated with thermally induced stresses and strains from CTE mismatches, such designs add weight, manufacturing complexity and cost to the design. Recent advances have given rise to new opportunities to increase the integrity and performance of metal to composite joints. This effort will investigate these new technologies for their application to hybrid joining concepts. This program will design, fabricate and test specimens from one technology, which benefits from newly developed metal processing capabilities. Two other technologies will also be analyzed to determine their merit and feasibility. Design optimization will be accomplished on all three concepts by first performing an analysis of the joints using the analytical tools developed under the Composites Affordability Initiative (CAI). Optimized joints representing the most promising technology will then be fabricated and mechanically tested to validate the new joining concept and model and to demonstrate and quantify their technical feasibility. Successful completion of this program will result in new joining methods that will be used by the various DoD contractors on potentially numerous new vehicles."
MEMS Testing Simulator,W56HZV-05-C-0101,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119880.00,"M3TECHCENTER, LLC",45421 Glengarry Blvd.,,Canton,MI,48188 3006,Yes,No,No,Kelly Shue,Manager,7348441096,m3techcenter@yahoo.com,Shaling Qiao,Principal Investigator,7348441096,m3techcenter@yahoo.com,"MEMS with sensors, actuators and control functions in a large network system often needs to work in a harsh environment involving changes in mechanical, chemical, and electromagnetic loading at high frequencies and high intensities. The objectives of this SBIR Program are: (1) to develop a MEMS simulator that can provide simulated and accelerated environment/loading conditions for accurate assessment of MEMS reliability; (2) to achieve high reliability by developing the first generation self-diagnosis and self-recovery MEMS packaging technique. To achieve these objectives, in phase-1 and option phase, the key loading parameters and related testing techniques will be identified, and MEMS testing will be performed to establish database. In addition, the technique of using embedded sensor array inside MEMS will be developed for load monitoring and MEMS self-diagnosis. Predictive damage models will be developed for reliability assessment. The results will lead to a prototype design of MEMS simulator, to be implemented and commercialized in Phase-2. In addition, the project attempts to develop self-recovery function by using two types of smart materials with self-recovery and self-healing functions. The new concept of self-recovery MEMS will be verified in Phase-1 and option, and commercialized for dual application in Phase II."
A Collaborative Environment for Data Driven Condition Based Maintenance,HQ0006-05-C-7252,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,2,748510.00,"Management Sciences, Inc.","6022 Constitution Ave., NE",,Albuquerque,NM,87110-,Yes,No,No,Marlene K. Blemel,President,5052558611,kay_blemel@mgtsciences.com,Kenneth Blemel,Vice President,5052558611,kenneth_blemel@mgtsciences.com,"This Phase II SBIR proposal presents a new platform for development, validation, and deployment of health and status assessment and decision support applications. At the core of this platform is MSI's Collaborative Bayesian Application Engineering Environment (CBAEE) for developing models supporting signature recognition, condition assessment, and decision support. This Collaborative Engineering Environment provides graphical model construction, automated model calibration and structure learning, statistical data analysis, and automated model validation. It supports development of robust high performance statistical models that combine information from signature recognition with dynamic trending and auto-correlation analysis. MSI has teamed with Boeing Corporation to develop, integrate, and test health assessment and decision support applications for the Airborne Laser weapon system. This system will process signature data, operating logs and other data that characterize the operating condition of equipment. The two year Phase II contract has several goals: 1) to system engineer a robust Collaborative Bayesian Model Engineering Environment, 2) to develop the software applications for health monitoring and decision support using this toolkit, 3) to test and validate these applications with ABL equipment data and signatures in conjunction with the ABL operations, support and maintenance teams, and 4) to transition the toolkit for use by MDA and DoD programs."
A Submersible Video Recorder for Marine Biological Surveys,DG133R-05-CN-1202,DOC,DOC,SBIR,2005,1,74942.00,"Management Sciences, Inc.","6022 Constitution Ave., NE",,Albuquerque,NM,87110-,Yes,No,No,Marlene K. Blemel,President,5052558611,kay_blemel@mgmtsciences.com,Carl Stern,Senior Research Scientist,5052558611,carl_stern@mgtsciences.com,"We propose research to develop and demonstrate a deeply submersible video plankton recording system (ViPR) to perform image recording of plankton. The ViPR will apply artificial intelligence to 2-D or 3-D imaging using pattern recognition for a statistically reliable survey of plankton using two cameras, one for larger zooplankton and the other for microplankton. The ViPR computer will be PC compliant with a real-time operating system and a memory expandable to terabytes. It will also have processors to control the operation of the VPR, communications, and a new 3-D wavelet processing algorithm that will provide feature data to a Bayesian data fusion architecture that performs adaptive and trainable context based artificial intelligence to classify, identify and count plankton. The mono or stereo pattern recognition algorithms will process selected images from this sequence and combine each pair in such a way to classify, identify and count plankton populations with context data."
Computer Architectures for Understanding,FA8750-05-C-0126,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99955.00,"Management Sciences, Inc.","6022 Constitution Ave., NE",,Albuquerque,NM,87110-,Yes,No,No,Marlene K. Blemel,President,5052558611,kay_blemel@mgtsciences.com,Carl Stern,Senior Research Scientist,5052558611,carl_stern@mgtsciences.com,"We describe a new Bayesian architecture for knowledge-based information exploitation and situation assessment, the Cognitive Bayesian INformation EXploitation (CBNX) architecture. CBNX provides mechanisms for the effective transformation of data into information and the dynamic integration of information into higher level cognitive structures supporting situation assessment and dynamic decision making. CBNX combines three distinct forms of knowledge representation. At the top level, schemas encode cognitive ""design patterns"", i.e., patterns for the large scale organization and interpretation of information. Domain knowledge is encoded at the middle level into a version of first order probabilistic logic with recursion called Loopy Logic. Finally, this time-independent domain knowledge is dynamically compiled into Situation Specific Bayesian Models at the bottom level. CBNX builds on recent work in frame-based probabilistic models, probabilistic relational models, and probabilistic logic, but extends it with new schema-based meta-representations and algorithms. This architecture provides a powerful set of mechanisms for aggregating data and information into interpretive frames, filtering out data that is contextually irrelevant, and illuminating the potential significance of the relevant information in context. It also allows the opportunity for dynamic data management and dynamically configured displays that clearly exhibit the relationship of new information to situation or threat components."
NO-donor/SOD-mimetics for diabetic nephropathy,1R43DK069128-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,134000.00,"MANDALMED, INC.",665 3rd Street,Suite 250,SAN FRANCISCO,CA,94107-1953,Yes,No,No,,,4153335570,,Elwood E. Reynolds,,4153335570,ELWOODROW1@EARTHLINK.NET,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Vascular disease is the principal cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes, leading to nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy, and ischemic disease. Hyperglycemic damage to vascular endothelial cells is a major cause of these vascular complications of diabetes. This endothelial dysfunction is caused by oxidative stress induced by hyperglycemia, resulting in both the increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreased bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO). Hyperglycemia also causes similar oxidative stress in renal mesangial cells, which leads to mesangial matrix expansion, glomerosclerosis, and renal functional impairment. We have developed a novel drug for treatment of hyperglycemia induced endothelial and mesangial cell dysfunction. OX029 is a bifunctional NO-donor/SOD-mimetic which is a derivative of lipoic acid, The major goals of this proposal are to (1) determine the efficacy of OX029 to prevent endothelial dysfunction and renal injury in the diabetic streptozotocin-treated rat, and (2) design and synthesize 20 novel analogs of OX029 and test their efficacy in isolated blood vessels and cultured renal mesangial cells exposed to hyperglycemia. If OX029 is efficacious in preventing renal injury in STZ-diabetic rats, we plan to submit a Phase II grant to: (1) test one or two OX029 analogs for prevention of diabetic nephropathy in vivo, (2) expand the in vivo studies in STZ-diabetic rats to a long term study (6-9 months) to include other endpoints of renal pathology, such as histology and morphometry, glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, and renal function, and (3) expand the in vivo studies to include another animal model of diabetes, the db/db mouse which spontaneously develops type II diabetes. The long-term commercial goal is to develop an orally active drug which can be given to both type I and type II diabetics to attenuate the renal damage caused by chronic hyperglycemia, and also attenuate other vascular complications of diabetes."
Nano-Phase Powder Based Exothermic Braze Repair Technology For RCC Materials,NNK05OA30C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69967.00,Materials Resources International,"811 West 5th Street, Unit 2",,Lansdale,PA,19446 2283,Yes,No,No,Ronald W. Smith,President,2156317111,rsmith@materialsresources.com,Ronald W. Smith,Principal Investigator,2156317111,rsmith@materialsresources.com,"MRi is proposing, with its partner, Exotherm Corp (Camden, NJ) to demonstrate the feasibility of using exothermic brazing to join RCC (or C:SiC) composites to itself and/or to metal structures as an in orbit repair technique. The proposed Phase I work would be aimed at developing powder based brazing performs that would contain elements and compounds in powder particles that have been formed to have nano-phase dispersions of reactant compounds. These powder based performs would be placed in joints that upon ignition by spark or laser would self-propagate, releasing sufficient heat to braze reinforced carbon:carbon (RCC) composite materials to RCC or to refractory metals such as tantalum or niobium. In the proposed effort MRi and Exotherm will produce nano-phase particles of two candidate precursor materials (Ti-Si-C-based and WO3-Al-Zr-SiO2), demonstrate their exothermic properties, make RCC/RCC and RCC/(Nb or)Ta joints, characterize the joints and run lap shear strengthThe goal is to advance innovative, cost effective and reliable joining processes that would enable the in-flight repair of space shuttle or other reentry vehicles structures where RCC is being used. Although RCC structure repair is the specific application that is targeted, exothermic brazing technology would offer opportunity in the assembly of structures in space and on interplanetary missions, where high-energy heat sources would be difficult or impossible to use for in-flight joining, assembly and/or rep"
Define/Demonstrate Beryllium (Be) Substitute Material for Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Applications,W9113M-05-C-0120,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,118892.00,"MCCARTER MACHINE, INC.","1312 Underwood Rd, PO Box 520",,Deer Park,TX,77536,Yes,No,No,Ellie McCarter,President/Comptroller,2814764716,emccarter@mccarteret.com,Douglas McCarter,VP/ Technical Integrator,2814764716,dmccarter@mccarteret.com,"Single Crystal Silicon is much more cost effective to polish because it does not require a coating to produce an acceptable optical surface on materials as does Beryllium or Silicon Carbide. SCSi is very stiff, has low density, high thermal conductivity, costs less, can be polished directly, safe to handle, and is a very stable optic material. The objective of this SBIR program is to produce samples for testing and to demonstrate our technology to provide solutions for specific problems of kill vehicle telescopes."
Portable 20 W DMFC using mixed reactants,W911NF-05-C-0003,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,2,730000.00,Mesoscopic Devices LLC,"510 Compton Street, Suite 106",,Broomfield,CO,80020 0165,Yes,No,No,Christine Martin,Vice President,3034666968,cmartin@mesoscopic.com,Valerie Hovland,Project Engineer,3034666968,vhovland@mesoscopic.com,"Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) are leading candidates for providing power to the individual soldier. Current generation DMFCs require relatively complex balance-of-plant systems to operate efficiently on pure methanol. A new approach to DMFCs developed by Mesoscopic Devices will enable high specific-energy DMFCs to be built using a simplified system architecture. The simplified design utilizes a very compact stack using mixed fuel and air. The mixed-reactant approach allows very small cell pitches, leading to high power-density stacks. Combining these high-power-density stacks with advanced balance-of-plant components yields a portable DMFC system with higher performance and lower cost than conventional approaches. In Phase I, Mesoscopic Devices demonstrated the feasibility of the mixed-reactant stack. In Phase II, we will develop higher-performance selective catalysts, develop techniques to use these catalysts in high performance MEAs and stacks, develop optimized balance-of-plant components, and deliver a complete 20 W prototype generator."
Compact self-regenerating JP-8 desulfurizer,W56HZV-05-C-0122,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69988.00,Mesoscopic Devices LLC,"510 Compton Street, Suite 106",,Broomfield,CO,80020 0165,Yes,No,No,Christine M. Martin,Vice President,3034666968,cmartin@mesoscopic.com,Joseph Poshusta,Project Engineer,3034666968,jposhusta@mesoscopic.com,"Sulfur compounds in JP-8 are a barrier to use of fuel cells since sulfur poisons the catalysts used in fuel cells and fuel processors. Mesoscopic Devices has developed a continuous, self-regenerating desulfurization system that can treat fuel to fuel cell standards while utilizing sulfur sorbents many times more efficiently than typical fixed bed approaches. The approach exploits three key innovations: 1) air regenerable sulfur sorbents for liquid fuels, 2) a highly optimized bed arrangement, and 3) a simple and reliable device for switching the beds from desulfurization to regeneration modes. Mesoscopic Devices' ThioCycleT sorbents have been demonstrated to desulfurize marine diesel with up to 10,000 ppm sulfur to less than 10 ppm and have the ability to be air regenerated. JP-8 (with 1,000 ppm sulfur) has been desulfurized to less than 2 ppm using these sorbents. In the proposed Phase I program, Mesoscopic Devices will build and demonstrate a brassboard desulfurizer for treating JP-8 to support 5 kW fuel cell systems."
Advanced Pumps and Cold Plates for Two-Phase Cooling Loops,NNG05CA64C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69984.00,Mesoscopic Devices LLC,"510 Compton Street, Suite 106",,Broomfield,CO,80020 0165,Yes,No,No,Christine M. Martin,Vice President,3034666968,cmartin@mesoscopic.com,Jerry L. Martin,,3034666968,jmartin@mesoscopic.com,"Advanced instruments used for earth science missions require improved cooling systems to remove heat from high power electronic components and maintain tight temperature control for sensitive instruments. Mesoscopic Devices proposes to develop a pumped two-phase cooling loop that will provide high heat flux cooling (> 100 W/cm^2) in a lightweight system. In Phase I, an extremely compact pump optimized for two phase cooling will be demonstrated, along with advanced lightweight cold plates. A complete two-phase loop using the advanced pump and cold plates will be constructed and tested."
SOFC Auxiliary Power Source for Surveillance Operations,H92222-05-P-0029,DOD,SOCOM,SBIR,2005,1,99988.00,Mesoscopic Devices LLC,"510 Compton Street, Suite 106",,Broomfield,CO,80020 0165,Yes,No,No,Christine M. Martin,Vice President,3034666968,cmartin@mesoscopic.com,Christine M. Martin,Vice President,3034666968,cmartin@mesoscopic.com,"Special operations forces use special combat craft for surveillance missions. To enable stealth while on station, these boats require quiet auxiliary power sources. Large battery banks are currently used, but these batteries are heavy and limit the mission duration. Fuel cells have been proposed as possible quiet power sources, but existing systems, e.g. Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells, require specialized or potentially dangerous fuels such as highly compressed hydrogen that are impractical aboard ships or boats. We propose a compact, high-volumetric energy density solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) hybrid system operating on high-sulfur marine fuels. We will address critical system-level integration issues specific to deployment on the combat craft through detailed system modeling and system mechanical design. This approach will result in a quiet auxiliary power supply operating on safe logistics fuels with both high volumetric power density and high efficiency."
Development of┐Blast Event Simulation,W56HZV-05-C-0116,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69568.00,"Michigan Engineering Services, LLC","2890 Carpenter Road, Suite 1900",,Ann Arbor,MI,48108-1000,Yes,No,No,Christina Vlahopoulos,President,7343580777,christinavl@juno.com,Nickolas Vlahopoulos,Operating Manager,7343550084,nickvlahopoulos@netscape.net,"The design of Army vehicles to resist blast from a mines or from explosive devices is of great interest in order to provide protection to the vehicle and its occupants. Full size mine blast tests are expensive and time consuming. Using a numerical simulation for predicting the interaction of the mine blast with the vehicle can minimize the testing, and identify design changes for increased survivability. A seamless blast event simulation system will be developed and validated. The DoD CTH hydrocode will be used for modeling the explosion and it will be coupled with commercial codes such as ABAQUS, LS-Dyna, and/or MADYMO for computing the structural response induced by the explosion. MADYMO will be used for assessing the occupants' safety due to the blast. The blast event simulation system will be able to update the numerical models for improved correlation to test data and it will evaluate a confidence level to the computations. The CTH code will be validated for simulating landmine detonations through comparison to a comprehensive set of mine detonation experiments reported in [21]. The blast event simulation system will be validated by analyzing the experiment presented in [22] for metallic targets subjected to landmine explosions."
Probabilistic Error Estimation In Model-Based Predictions,N00014-05-C-0267,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,449029.00,"Michigan Engineering Services, LLC","2890 Carpenter Road, Suite 1900",,Ann Arbor,MI,48108-1000,Yes,No,No,Christina Vlahopoulos,President,7343580777,christinavl@miengsrv.com,Nickolas Vlahopoulos,Operating Manager,7343550084,nv@miengsrv.com,"Modern ship designs can only be successful if the ship can survive in a hostile environment. External threats for a ship can originate from underwater detonations, anti-ship missiles, and even low tech weapons like in the terrorist attack on USS Cole. These threats become even more important as the focal point for naval operations has shifted towards littoral areas, where ships are exposed to a higher risk. Current analysis methods do not provide levels of confidence and large structural design safety factors are used. Thus, ships are heavier and more expensive to construct and maintain than may actually be required. Models that quantify the level of confidence are required in order to provide meaningful and reliable information during the ship design stage. The Completed Phase I effort demonstrated the feasibility of performing model update and error estimation in UNDEX simulation using FEA models with a large number of elements. In the proposed Phase II effort additional computational capabilities will be developed in order to create a complete capability for model update and error estimation. The new developments will be utilized in full scale modeling/testing application for a surface ship with the collaboration of NSWC/IHD, and in automotive crash analysis simulations with the participation of TNO."
Energy Finite Element Analysis System,N00014-05-C-0146,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,449937.00,"Michigan Engineering Services, LLC","2890 Carpenter Road, Suite 1900",,Ann Arbor,MI,48108-1000,Yes,No,No,Christina Vlahopoulos,President,7343580777,christinavl@juno.com,Nickolas Vlahopoulos,Operating Manager,7343550084,nv@miengsrv.com,"New Naval initiatives, like the DD(X) program, impose stringent noise and vibration targets, and require assessment and reduction of noise due to machinery, flow, and propulsion. A typical surface ship structure exhibits thousands of normal modes below 30Hz. Thus, the frequency range of interest from signature and hull vibration objectives extends far beyond what existing finite element based methods can predict. High noise levels in living quarters and in working spaces due to acoustic emissions from machinery and operating aircraft creates habitability concerns which must also be addressed in new surface ship designs. Under the Phase II funding, an Energy Finite Element Analysis (EFEA) and an Energy Boundary Element Analysis (EBEA) formulations developed by the PI for computing the vibration of submersible vehicles and of surface ships, along with the associated radiated noise at frequencies beyond the limits of conventional finite element methods will be developed into commercially quality software. In addition to the Naval applications the EFEA and EBEA methods have been applied successfully in predicting vibration and acoustic fields in aerospace and automotive applications. The proposed project will lead to the development of an EFEA and EBEA system for the analysis of full scale surface ships and submarines in a robust and user friendly manner."
Multidisciplinary Design Under Uncertainty for Entry Vehicles,NNA05AC19C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69878.00,"Michigan Engineering Services, LLC","2890 Carpenter Road, Suite 1900",,Ann Arbor,MI,48108-1000,Yes,No,No,Christina Vlahopoulos,President,7343580777,christinavl@juno.com,Nickolas Vlahopoulos,Principal Investigator,7343550084,nickvlahopoulos@netscape.net,"The physical difficulty of designing entry vehicles originates from the large degree of coupling between the various disciplines involved in the design. Every subsystem design decision has far reaching consequences that must be evaluated in a multidisciplinary fashion in order to assess the impact on the weight and the performance of the entire vehicle. The disciplines which must be accounted and integrated during the design are: trajectory optimization, guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) technology, aerodynamics and aerothermodynamics, thermal-structural analysis, and thermal protection system (TPS) development. Previous efforts in developing a collaborative or a multidisciplinary optimization process never considered how uncertainty in the atmospheric conditions, in the entry parameters of the vehicle, in the condition of the vehicle during entry, and in the performance of the TPS will influence the design and provide a risk assessment for a mission. The proposed project will fill this void by developing a tool for multidisciplinary optimization under uncertainty (MDO-U) for entry vehicle design. The proposed development will consider how uncertainties influence the modeling results of each discipline, and how uncertainties influence the interaction between disciplines and the optimal solution. Finally, the new MDO-U design tool will compute the safety level for the optimum design."
Deployment Web-Based Interface Tool,W81XWH-06-C-0018,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,Micro Analysis & Design Inc,"4949 Pearl East Circle, Suite 300",,Boulder,CO,80301 0257,Yes,No,No,Susan Archer,Director of Operations,3034426947,sarcher@maad.com,Angelia Sebok,Senior Human Factors Engineer,3034426947,asebok@maad.com,"This proposal describes the design of a web-based system for gathering, collecting, and disseminating lessons learned. The proposed system will be built with a user-centered design approach which includes interviewing users to identify problems with the current system used by Army Medical Command and defining requirements for the new system. In addition, our approach includes usability testing and iterative prototype design, to ensure an effective solution. The new system will include web-based tools allowing users to easily and securely enter and access information. A main feature of the proposed system is the use of a fully-automated machine-learning technique called Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) to facilitate information searches. This technique allows users to find information that is related in meaning rather than keywords. Our proposed approach is divided into a set of logical, progressive steps. In Phase I we will analyze the existing system, gather user requirements, and identify the database architecture. At the end of Phase I, a demonstration prototype will be delivered. The Phase I Option will be used for further software development planning. In Phase II, the system will be developed into a working prototype, usability tests will be performed, and a final prototype will be built."
Optimal Training System,FA9550-05-C-0168,DOD,USAF,STTR,2005,2,345183.00,Micro Analysis & Design Inc,"4949 Pearl East Circle, Suite 300",,Boulder,CO,80301 0257,Yes,No,No,Susan Archer,Director of Operations,3034426947,sarcher@maad.com,Brad Best,Staff Research Scientist,3034426947,bbest@maad.com,"Successful training in complex environments is normally accomplished through the interaction of a trainee and a skilled expert, but due to resource constraints, experts' use in training can be problematic. Using an optimal model of task performance subject to human constraints may be a more efficient way to develop models of skilled human performance for use in training, especially since optimal models are simpler to validate, test, and debug than corresponding expert models. In addition, constrained optimal models can be constructed in domains where no experts are available or even exist. Using a simulated task environment (STE) permits the necessary close model-trainee interaction by enabling the construction of optimal performance models and by allowing them to perform the same task as the trainee using the same interface while closely observing and guiding trainee performance. We propose to extend our previous work using a normatively correct model of task performance as the core engine of an automated tutor for a national missile defense (NMD) task STE to the more complex domain of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control and mission execution. This work will integrate the functionality of planning systems with human planning constraints obtained from a study of online classroom learning."
Optimal Training System,FA9550-05-C-0005,DOD,USAF,STTR,2005,1,100000.00,Micro Analysis & Design Inc,"4949 Pearl East Circle, Suite 300",,Boulder,CO,80301 0257,Yes,No,No,Susan Archer,Director of Operations,3034426947,sarcher@maad.com,Brad Best,Staff Research Scientist,3034426947,bbest@maad.com,"Successful training in complex environments is normally accomplished through the interaction of a trainee and a skilled expert, but due resource constraints, experts' use in training can be problematic. Developing expert models for training is one solution, but constructing expert models is costly and time-consuming, and they tend to be difficult to validate, test, and debug. Alternatively, using an optimal model of task performance may be more efficient since optimal models are simpler to validate, test, and debug. Using a simulated task environment (STE) permits the necessary close model-trainee interaction. The simplifying assumptions of STEs often enable construction of optimal performance models, allowing them to perform the same task as the trainee using the same interface while closely observing and guiding trainee performance. We propose to develop the concept of using a normatively correct model of task performance as the core engine of an automated tutor with an initial application to a national missile defense (NMD) task STE. The NMD STE is a complex task requiring skilled operators to allocate assets under time constraints to minimize expected losses, yet is amenable to construction of an optimal model, and therefore has potential for exploring a normative modeling-based tutoring approach."
Human Interface Evaluation Methods for Submarine Combat Systems,N65538-05-M-0175,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,Micro Analysis & Design Inc,"4949 Pearl East Circle, Suite 300",,Boulder,CO,80301 0257,Yes,No,No,Susan Archer,Director of Operations,3034426947,sarcher@maad.com,Ron Small,Principal Engineer,3034426947,rsmall@maad.com,"The most common cause of submarine combat system failures is human error. A prevalent approach is to reduce errors by (a) consulting with domain experts to determine what caused each error, and (b) providing a system upgrade to fix the individual problems that caused each error. The problem with this approach is that the sum of the individual solutions does not necessarily create a better overall system solution. And, presently, there are no tools for evaluating the impact of system upgrades on performance. The objectives for Phase I are to understand the sources of error for a typical submarine combat system operator task (e.g., target tracking), and then to develop a human performance model. In addition to the model, we will address the sources of error using our error remediation techniques and tools. The ultimate goal is to provide products (i.e., tools and processes) that improve system performance, that objectively measure those improvements, and that help incorporate the proven improvements into the fleet."
Intelligent Multimodal Signal Adaptation System,NNA05AC17C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,Micro Analysis & Design Inc,"4949 Pearl East Circle, Suite 300",,Boulder,CO,80301 0257,Yes,No,No,Kathy Koshi,Business Official,3034426947,kkoshi@maad..com,Julie Bzostek,,3034426947,jbzostek@maad.com,"Micro Analysis and Design (MA&D) is pleased to submit this proposal to design an Intelligent Multimodal Signal Adaptation System. This system will dynamically adapt a display to the optimal modality based upon an operator's workload. As cockpits become more complicated, there is more data to be monitored by pilots in the normal operation of an aircraft. Some of this burden has been lightened with automated systems, but the operator still has to be aware of which automated systems are operating at any given time, and their current mode. Signals are presented to the pilots when these systems start, end, or are in effect, but these signals are often lost in the overwhelming amount of data the operators must attend. A system that could present signals with the highest probability of being noticed by operators would help achieve the goal of ensuring that the right information is delivered at the optimal time and modality so that operators can act on the information. Assuring that pilots are aware of the various states of the aircraft systems would lead, in turn, to greater situation awareness and safety."
"Agent Based Modeling of Dismount Infantry Through Inclusion of Perceptions, Inferences and Associations.",W911QY-06-C-0005,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,Micro Analysis & Design Inc,"4949 Pearl East Circle, Suite 300",,Boulder,CO,80301 0257,Yes,No,No,Susan Archer,Director of Operations,3034426947,sarcher@maad.com,Walter Warwick,Principal Research Analyst,3034426947,wwarwick@maad.com,"Human perception is a subtle and complex process and increasingly is viewed as a major component of expert performance. In sharp contrast, in the representation of human behavior within a computer generated force, perception is often reduced merely to an assignment statement. Thus an enemy vehicle might be ""perceived"" in a constructive simulation by passing variables representing an entity-id, a vehicle-type enumeration and an x-y-z location, given to several significant figures, to a finite state machine which can then ""cogitate,"" using those values to determine which of a known set of alternative actions should be taken (e.g., assigning a threat-level to the enemy vehicle, sorting it into a target list, choosing an action on contact etc.). In this proposal we describe research that will allow us to imbue synthetic entities with a richer sense of perception. The proposed research will revolve around two technical objectives. The first is to understand human perception in a given task domain, and to survey candidate computational mechanisms for performing analogous transformations of ground truth into ""perception."" The second is to explore how perception influences infantry decision making and to determine a corresponding division of labor on the computational side between the perceptual and inferential."
Scorpiusr Suborbital Rocket (SR-M) Expendable Vehicle Technology,FA9453-05-C-0143,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,4294783.00,"Microcosm, Inc.",CA,,Hawthorne,CA,90250-6708,Yes,No,No,Alice V. Wertz,CFO,3107264100,awertz@smad.com,Blake Bartosh,Senior Avionics Engineer,3107264100,bbartosh@smad.com,"Microcosm, Inc. is proposing to complete the buildup of the suborbital rocket (SR-M) vehicle and launch this vehicle within twelve months of the authority to proceed. The suborbital rocket SR-M can carry up to a 2,400 pound payload. The SR-M offers considerable flexibility and performance while achieving low mission cost. Variations of the vehicle can be created to form the core of various missions from the classic sounding rocket for science projects to the target programs to represent various missile threats. The SR-M will use the Scorpiusr 20 klbf (vac) thrust engine, the 42-inch diameter all-composite propellant tanks, High Performance Pressurization System (HPPS), and a modified avionics suite of the twin-engine suborbital rocket of the Scorpiusr SR-XM-1 previously launched. This effort will focus on MDA's and other agency requirements for a low cost suborbital liquid vehicle to be used as a medium class sounding rocket or target vehicle. The SR-M represents an extension and scaled up version of the SR-XM-1 Suborbital Vehicle that Microcosm launched at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) WC-50 on March, 2001. The SR-M will use a payload fairing and 20 klbf engine injector supplied as government furnished equipment (GFE). The SR-M with the 20 klbf engine will also serve to fly and qualify the basic ablative engine technologies leading to the larger preliminary concept 80 klbf engine developed in Phase 1 of an SBIR with AFRL-PR/West."
"Low Cost, High Precision Navigation and Attitude Determination System for Microsatellites",HQ0006-05-C-7221,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,2,749998.00,"Microcosm, Inc.",CA,,Hawthorne,CA,90250-6708,Yes,No,No,Alice V. Wertz,CFO,3107264100,awertz@smad.com,James R. Wertz,President,3107264100,jwertz@smad.com,"In Phase II, Microcosm, with our principal subcontractor, NAVSYS, propose to develop a breadboard prototype of the Precision Navigation with Integrated Attitude Determination (PNIAD) system - a very compact package that integrates an IMU, a GPS receiver, and a small star sensor. Phase I focused on the top level design and establishing system performance via simulation. Preliminary requirements were developed, based partially on discussions with potential PNIAD customers. In Phase II, requirements will be refined to produce prototype specifications. Additional design and simulation work will be carried out, leading to the fabrication of a breadboard PNIAD unit, including an initial version of the operational software. Prototype laboratory testing will complete the Phase II technical work, which will lay the groundwork for development of a brassboard version of PNIAD in a Phase II enhancement or Phase III program. Test results will be compared with simulated results to identify areas for improvement. Small spacecraft can be more agile, but also tumble easier and require much more responsive control than traditional large satellites. PNIAD can accommodate these aggressive performance needs. Microcosm is in discussions with a major aerospace prime contractor to secure additional funding for follow-on development work."
"Innovative, Low Cost, Plug-and-Play Intertial Measurement System",FA9453-05-M-0114,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99852.00,"Microcosm, Inc.",CA,,Hawthorne,CA,90250-6708,Yes,No,No,Alice V. Wertz,CFO,3107264100,awertz@smad.com,Thomas Morphopolous,Senior GN&C Engineer,3107264100,tom@smad.com,"For this Phase I SBIR, Microcosm proposes to coordinate with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Space Plug-and-play Avionics (SPA) working groups to develop a breadboard Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) interface that meets the latest SPA interface standards. In addition, Microcosm will study implementations for other plug-and-play GN&C components. Today's spacecraft components come with a variety of electrical interfaces and non-standard data interfaces. Changing the IMU on a spacecraft usually requires custom changes to the flight software. Plug-and-play spacecraft components offer the flexibility and simplified integration that will be required to realize a 6-day spacecraft. With a standard interface, spacecraft components will be interchangeable and can be selected specifically to meet mission needs. The AFRL is coordinating SPA working groups to define a plug-and-play standard. The final result of this Phase I SBIR effort will be a breadboard plug-and-play IMU unit based on a Microelectromechanical (MEMS) device that meets those standards. In the Phase II SBIR effort, Microcosm will apply the same underlying technology to build other plug-and-play GN&C components, such as magnetic torquer drive electronics and star sensors. In a related Phase II SBIR, Microcosm built a breadboard GN&C system to internally defined plug-and-play standards."
Novel Devices for Management of Toxic Alcohol Exposure,2R44GM062145-02A2,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,745598.00,"MICRONIX, INC.","MICRONIX, INC.","14950 GREYHOUND CT, STE 307",CARMEL,IN,46032,Yes,No,No,Mary Gaunt-kloepfer,,3178444324,MICRONIX@EARTHLINK.NET,Hans G. Kloepfer,,3178444324,MICRONIXINC@EARTHLINK.NET,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The applicant organization proposes to develop ultra-miniaturized, minimally invasive test wand methods for quantification in whole blood specimens of methanol, formate, ethylene glycol, and glycolate, the four critical analytes in the laboratory evaluation of toxic alcohol exposure. The methods dose and transport a blood sample in the nanoliter range to an integrated polymeric detection site. The detection site embodies dried chemical reagents capable of reacting with analyte, as well as a polymeric composition capable of absorbing a defined volume of blood plasma while preventing cellular component of blood from penetrating the composition. Cells are wholly removed from the detection site by proprietary chemical and physical mechanisms, thereby obviating the need for a separate cell-filtering material and unmasking the detection site for instrumented or visual analysis. Instrumented analysis is performed by means of a hand-held transmittance monitoring meter. Test procedure and performance time are streamlined by consolidating all testing steps into one single disposable device. Primary target markets are emergency room and other critical care environments."
SBIR Phase II: Membrane Protein Microarrays,0450262,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,2,500000.00,MICROSURFACES INC,3913 Todd Lane,SUITE 102,Austin,TX,78744-,Yes,Yes,No,Athena Guo,Dr,6127890104,athena@memsurface.com,Athena Guo,Dr,6127890104,athena@memsurface.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project proposes to develop a product platform based on polymer cushion coated glass slides with controlled surface charge density for membrane protein microarray fabrication. The key technical objectives for Phase II research are : (a) to complete quantitative studies on surface charge density in the formation of supported phospholipid bilayer (SPB) from charged lipids , (b) to develop the chemistry for the grafting / adsorption of polymer cushions, (c) to measure the activities of membrane proteins in SPBs, and (d) to fabricate membrane protein microarrays based on surface pre-patterning using soft lithography techniques. The commercial application of this project will be in the area of protein microarrays for use in disease diagnostics and for drug discovery research. The proposed technology will enable development of therapeutics aimed at membrane protein targets."
SBIR Phase II: Field Demonstration of a Novel Biotechnology for In-Situ Bioremediation of Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) in Groundwater,0450486,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,2,499999.00,"MICROVI BIOTECH, LLC",MICROVI BIOTECH INC,29411 Kohoutek Way,Union City,CA,94587,Yes,No,No,Fatemeh R. Shirazi,Dr,9138974447,fatemeh.shirazi@stratumengineering.com,Fatemeh R. Shirazi,Dr,9136969934,fshirazi@microvibiotech.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to develop a novel process for in-situ bioremediation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in groundwater. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers MTBE a potential human carcinogen. Currently, MTBE's Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) in drinking water has been set for 18 parts per billion. It is estimated that the cost of cleaning up MTBE contamination nationwide is $29 billion and growing. Bioremediation holds a great promise for destruction of MTBE in groundwater. The key problems with currently used bioremediation methods for MTBE are (1) the inability to establish high densities of MTBE- degrading bacterial, (2) the inability to maintain contact between the degrading bacteria and MTBE, and (3) the upsets and losses of key bacteria. Prior Phase I work has successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of a new technical approach called Biological Permeable Barrier (BPB) that uses encapsulated MTBE-degrading bacteria for removal of MTBE in water. The primary objective for the Phase II project is to assess the long-term performance of a BPB field pilot unit to remove MTBE at Port Hueneme Navy site, and to assess the cost and performance of the BPB / MicroBeads system for longer periods of time under field conditions. The novelties of this technical approach are four folds : (1) the proposed system will deliver high cell density of MTBE-degrading bacteria right to the zone of contamination; (2) the proposed system will create the perfect environment for bacteria with a high degree of degradation and stability; (3) the proposed system will protect the bacteria against environmental stresses; and, (4) the proposed system will prevent wash out of key bacteria. It is anticipated that the proposed BPB pilot scale unit at Port Hueneme will effectively degrade MTBE and other contaminants in groundwater to non-detectable levels. The immediate commercial application of this project will be on the bioremediation of MTBE in groundwater. However, the proposed technology holds promise for effective, controlled and cost efficient cleanup of groundwater at sites contaminated with other toxic and polluting chemicals as well. Other potential applications include the treatment of industrial wastewater and drinking water."
Particulate Erosion Predictions for Helicopter Rotor Blades,W911W6-05-C-0043,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69995.00,"MILSYS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC",408 E. Fourth Street,Suite 204,Bridgeport,PA,19405,Yes,No,No,C. L. Miller,Chief Financial Officer,6103549100,cmiller@milsystech.com,Robert Lee,Senior Aero-Engineer,6103549100,robert@milsystech.com,"An analytical erosion prediction capability will be developed for helicopter rotor blades exposed to sandy environments and rain. The overall problem is divided into five components each requiring its own input parameters and computational tools. These five components are: characterization of the aerodynamic flow fields created by helicopter rotor blades, establishment of the particle impact conditions associated with these flow fields, formulation of computational mechanics descriptions for the particle interactions with a rotor blade, introduction of criteria for damage initiation, growth, and material removal, and development of methods to predict material removal from an eroding surface. The Phase I effort will consider conventional and innovative approaches that can be pursued for each of these components. They will be evaluated in terms of their implementation, preserving the physically significant features in each component, and their compatibility with the approaches for the other components. The input required for each component will be identified and refined as the program proceeds into Phase II where the general methodology will be acted upon using the most relevant computer codes and the input required collected from the existing literature to the extent that it is available. Work on all five components can be carried out simultaneously since they require input from a number of different fields."
Bimodal Lithium Reserve Battery,HQ0006-05-C-7178,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99981.00,"MILSYS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC",408 E. Fourth Street,Suite 204,Bridgeport,PA,19405,Yes,No,No,C. L. Miller,Chief Operating Officer,6103549100,cmiller@milsystech.com,Michael Wilson,CEO/Chief Scientist,6103549100,mike@milsystech.com,"Current trends in power requirements for missile systems indicate that there is a growing need for providing increased power and energy while simultaneously reducing size and weight of power systems. Because of the compact size of emerging missile systems and the limitations on traditional ""tin can"" battery designs, flexibility in battery configuration becomes an enabling factor in optimizing overall system performance. To achieve these goals, a novel approach to electrolyte storage and activation will be employed. Traditional Lithium Reserve Batteries contain two isolated sections. One section consists of a dry cell stack and the other contains a liquid electrolyte. This configuration requires a significant amount of storage space that is effectively useless once the battery is activated. The approach to be researched will contain a cell stack that is ""wet"" with a neutral electrolyte and separate reservoir with the acidic, high molarity electrolyte component. In the initial state, the battery can serve as a low discharge power source. Upon high power activation, the high molarity electrolyte is injected into the ""wet"" cell stack and will infuse with the neutral electrolyte to provide high power capability. This concept is described in detail in ""Bimodal Battery,"" US Patent No. 6,187,471 B1, issued Feb. 13, 2001."
An Integrated High Altitude Plume/Hardbody Interaction Model,W9113M-05-C-0038,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99944.00,"MILSYS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC",408 E. Fourth Street,Suite 204,Bridgeport,PA,19405,Yes,No,No,C. L. Miller,Chief Operating Officer,6103549100,cmiller@milsystech.com,Robert Lee,Principle Investigator,6103549100,robert@milsystech.com,"This Phase I study will demonstrate the feasibility and utility of integrating several advanced simulation technologies for modeling missile plume and hardbody flowfield/thermal response interactions, for the purpose of accurately computing combined plume/hardbody IR signatures with a specific emphasis on transient plume-related events which occur at high altitudes. The SOCRATES-P Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) code, which will be utilized for calculating plume flowfields at altitudes > 90 km, will be coupled to existing government owned/developed models for six-degree-of-freedom trajectory dynamics, material thermal response, aeroheating, and aerodynamics to perform a complete simulation package capable of including all pertinent physical effects related to combined missile hardbody/plume IR signatures at high altitudes. Requirements and program design for the signature modeling tool will be developed and demonstrated in Phase I, with subsequent code development and validation being the focus of Phase II."
Multi-Media Imagery Program for Breast Cancer Patients,1R43CA117597-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,145600.00,MIND MATTERS RESEARCH,MIND MATTERS RESEARCH,7926 PORT ORFORD DRIVE,ANCHORAGE,AK,99507,Yes,No,No,,,9078687737,,Lynda W. Freeman,,9078687737,1FREEMAN@GCI.NET,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The specific aim of this Phase I SBIR project is to establish the technical merit and feasibility of producing a modular imagery intervention program for breast cancer patients and survivors that can be delivered to patients in a classroom setting, and/or at-a-distance, via Internet. Phase I prototype will emphasize feasibility of delivery and potential efficacy for improving quality of life and health outcomes. The Phase II project will emphasize overcoming barriers to access of care and accessibility of materials at varying degrees of technical sophistication. Proposed final Phase II products are internet-based multi-media conferencing, DVDs and CDs. Phase I questions: Did breast cancer patients and survivors report satisfaction with the prototype materials and delivery? Did breast cancer participants and breast cancer survivor focus groups report enthusiasm for the Phase II Internet-based multi-media conferencing imagery component? Can the prototype be delivered and tested? Is the prototype safe? Do outcome measures suggest the prototype will improve patient quality of life? In Phase I, applicant will (1) produce paper and/or sample materials for the imagery prototype (i.e., patient manuals, audio cassettes, behavioral change assessment instruments); (2) evaluate materials for accuracy and patient satisfaction before delivery (initial review) and after feasibility trial (final review) by providing focus group summary reports and Likert scale data and updating the prototype to reflect recommendations; (3) test feasibility of program delivery in two sub-sets of post-surgical breast cancer patients (i.e., treatment with no IV-chemotherapy [N=15] and treatment with IV chemotherapy [N=15]); (4) test short-term effects of the imagery program (i.e., physical, mental, emotional, social, functional and spiritual well-being and salivary cortisol rhythm). If Phase I is successful, the Phase II focus will be to finalize and test the prototype with 120 breast cancer patients. All related products will be provided on DVD-ROMs, CD-ROMs, and as an interactive website providing at-a-distance instruction. Train-the-trainer materials, with certification procedures and competency evaluations, will also be developed in Phase II. Currently, no imagery program exists that has been specifically tested for efficacy to improve quality of life in breast cancer populations; maintains quality control standards for certification, delivery and training; addresses barriers to access of care; and is available to the mainstream public health community. The development and marketing of this prototype will support the NCI goal of improving cancer patient quality of life. Imagery research to date suggests that a well-crafted imagery protocol could improve quality of life and health outcomes for breast cancer patients."
A new cancer protein solubility tool: entropic bristle,1R43CA110548-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,99511.00,Molecular Kinetics Inc,6201 La Pas Trail,Suite 160,Indianapolis,IN,46268-4869,Yes,Yes,No,Ya-yue Van,,3172808737,YYVAN@MOLECULARKINETICS.COM,Vladimir N. Uversky,,3172808737,MAIN@MOLECULARKINETICS.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Expression and purification of cancer-associated proteins are prerequisite steps necessary to study their functions, structures, and interactions. However, these steps are often challenging or even infeasible due to poor protein solubility. Currently, various strategies exist for improving recombinant protein solubility, but many proteins are still poorly solubilized despite these techniques. Any technology that offers a new way to increase the solubility of recombinantly expressed proteins will benefit cancer and other research by enabling researchers to successfully express and purify many cancer-associated proteins that were not soluble with other technologies.
The overall project aim is to develop a set of entropic bristle, domain fusion vectors that will be used to increase the solubility of many types of recombinant proteins. Phase I research will investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of entropic bristle domain fusions for solubilizing proteins previously characterized as insoluble.
This project addresses the needs of the Molecular Targets of Prevention and Treatment program of the NCI by exploring a new type of recombinant protein solubility enhancer. The entropic bristle fusion will decrease costs for high-throughput proteomics projects by allowing them to handle a higher percentage of targets robotically using standard protocols."
Modular `Smart Dust' Prognostics and Diagnostics System,M67854-05-C-6521,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,68896.00,MORGAN RESEARCH CORP.,4811A Bradford Drive,,Huntsville,AL,35805,Yes,Yes,No,Debbie Gerrity,Contracts Manager,2565333233,dgerrity@morganres.com,Philip Reiner,Senior Scientist,2565333233,preiner@morganres.com,"An increasing amount of effort and interest is being expended on development activities incorporating embedded sensors within complex systems for the purpose of collecting data for system-related diagnosis and prognosis activities. Collected data would then be transmitted to an external collection system and used to determine optimal maintenance procedures, to warn of an impending failure, to understand system history, or for a number of other purposes. The benefit to the system owner could be either reduced maintenance costs, improved system reliability and safety, or improved battlefield situational awareness. This proposed Phase I effort will determine the feasibility of integrating some key technologies to realize an important component of future embedded sensing systems, the modular self-powered wireless micro/nanosensor, or ""smart dust"". The Phase I effort will development a partial prototype and the following Phase II effort will complete the prototyping activity and integrate the device in a wireless sensor network."
Microsystems Technology (MST) for Fuzing in Low-Spin/Low-G Launch Environment,W15QKN-05-C-1241,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119356.00,MORGAN RESEARCH CORP.,4811A Bradford Drive,,Huntsville,AL,35805,Yes,Yes,No,Debbie Gerrity,Contracts Manager,2565333233,dgerrity@morganres.com,Philip Reiner,Senior Scientist,2565333233,preiner@morganres.com,"Morgan Research Corporation has developed a compact, lightweight, MEMS based safe and arming device concept for low-G launch, low spin rate munitions such as the 2.75 rocket. The designs include concepts for a MEMS rotation sensor, rotationally driven arming mechanism, and initial setback detector for low-G operations. This Phase I effort will focus on the development of these designs. New methods for safe and arming small munitions will be demonstrated for the first time along with techniques for automatic disarming of live, unexploded ordnance."
Optimization of Strain Balanced Heterostructures for High Power 4-5 Micron Quantum Cascade Lasers,W911NF-05-C-0118,DOD,ARMY,STTR,2005,2,749631.00,"MP Technologies, LLC",IL,,Evanson,IL,60208-3150,Yes,No,No,Manijeh Razeghi,President,8474917208,razeghi@ece.northwestern.edu,Steven Slivken,Technical Director,8474917208,s_slivken@hotmail.com,"The mid-infrared (3-5 micron) spectral region is filled with possibilities for laser applications, but most lasers in this wavelength are bulky and/or require cryogenic cooling. The quantum cascade laser is a compact, diode-based laser technology that has the potential for high power operation at room temperature. In this proposal, we outline a plan for development of short wavelength (lambda < 5 microns) quantum cascade lasers for both high average power (1 W) and single-mode, continuous-wave operation at room temperature."
High Average Power Quantum Cascade Lasers for Long Wavelength Infrared Applications,W15P7T-05-C-P411,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69643.00,"MP Technologies, LLC",IL,,Evanson,IL,60208-3150,Yes,No,No,Manijeh Razeghi,President,8474917208,razeghi@ece.northwestern.edu,Steven Slivken,Technical Director,8474917208,s_slivken@hotmail.com,"The goal of this project is to determine the feasibility of a long wave infrared (8.5-12 micron) semiconductor laser source that can operate near ambient temperature with several hundred mWs of average output power. At present, the main focus will be placed on the quantum cascade laser, which has already demonstrated high performance in this wavelength range at ambient temperature. Intrinsic performance will be studied as a function of operating wavelength and laser geometry in order to determine the optimum configuration for high average power operation."
New Sensing Capabilities for Space Situational Awareness,FA9453-05-M-0105,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,MS TECHNOLOGY,7922 Avenida Kirjah,,La Jolla,CA,92037,Yes,No,No,Saeid Ghamaty,President,8585586363,Saeid@Technologist.Com,Saeid Ghamaty,President,8585586363,Saeid@Technologist.Com,"MS Technology (MST) proposes to develop a new type of low cost, low power, fast and small magnetometer that could attain a sensitivity of approximately 1 femto Tesla (10-15 T) per root hertz. Magnetometers with such sensitivity could easily be used for space situational awareness , and small target identification from rifles, to vehicles, or large targets such as planes, boats and submarines, on space, ground, air, or water. This new magnetometer could be in a small (~SO8, ~5x4x2mm3), low power instrument package operating at ambient temperature. Such sensitivity currently requires costly superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) that needs expensive and cumbersome cryogenics to operate. In Phase I, MST will quantify the performance gains possible from this new magnetometer and its measurement of magnetic field and noise in operational contexts for space situational awareness. MST will develop system concepts, evaluate and benchmark performance, cost and compatibility for a complete magnetometer system. MST will explore all additional uses/value-added of the sensor option, and will specify hardware/software requirements and sources for a complete prototype system. MST will limit demonstration of selected sensors to provide proof of feasibility."
Mechanical Attachments for Advanced Thermal Protection Systems (TPS),FA8650-05-M-3546,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99943.00,"MSNW, INC.",P.O. Box 865,,San Marcos,CA,92079,Yes,No,No,George H. Reynolds,President,7604899471,msnwgeorge@aol.com,Robert J. Price,Technical Advisor,3306550839,msnwprice@aol.com,"In the proposed program, MSNW, Inc. will address critical materials problems associated with the hot gas seals required with two novel designs for the mechanical attachment of reusable space access vehicle thermal protection systems (TPS). The Boeing Company (Boeing Phantom Works), in conjunction with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), has selected for near-term development two attachment designs for either carbide-based structural ceramic matrix composite TPS panels or oxide-based TPS based upon CMC-wrapped low density tiles. Both designs use Nextel 720 fabric faced gap filler seals and the limited high temperature capability of Nextel 720 (approximately 2400┐F) used in the seals is currently a constraining factor. High temperature ceramic coatings and/or infiltrant materials will be investigated for their ability to limit the maximum temperature experienced by the Nextel fabric to improve the ultimate temperature capability, hot gas impermeability, erosion resistance, and long term durability of the seals. Two primary approaches will be examined: a refractory, reasonably compliant thermal barrier layer, and a high emittance treatment. Representative proof-of-concept physical and mechanical property test coupons will be prepared and tested for comparison of as-produced and post-thermal exposure properties. Testing will include limited permeability, mechanical strength, resilience and, where appropriate, emittance measurements."
Moldable Ceramic Composites for High Field Magnet Applications,DE-FG02-04ER84014,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,2,349826.00,Multiphase Composites,"1130 Francis Street, #7012",,Longmont,CO,80501,Yes,No,No,John A. Rice,Mr.,3036849396,multiphasecomposites@excite.com,John A. Rice,Mr.,3036849396,multiphasecomposites@excite.com,"75399S High field magnets, such as those used in High Energy Physics facilities, require precision placement of the superconducting cables to achieve high performance. However, current coated metal insulators used for end shoes and spacers have sharp points that can easily damage the cable insulation during installation. When assembling the magnet, these spacers can be pushed through the fabric, damage it, and potentially flake off the coating. Electrical shorts can result that require rework. This project will develop novel moldable ceramic insulators for use in accelerator and fusion magnets, in order to minimize the potential for insulation damage and shorting. The material can be used in place of the sharp tips or wherever small gaps exist. The insulators will be capable of withstanding the high mechanical loads at cryogenic temperatures, surviving the high temperature heat treatments, and resisting radiation. Phase I demonstrated that moldable ceramic compounds can be easily formed to the desired shape or packed into small gaps within a magnet structure. Characterization included strength measurement, thermal expansion, and dimensional control. Phase II will focus on the optimization of the composition and processing to further increase strength and to control other properties such as thermal expansion. Evaluation of the mixing, drying, and firing processing stages will be performed. Compressive strength, thermal expansion, and electrical properties will be measured at room temperature and cryogenic temperatures. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The ceramic insulators should be more robust and reliable than existing materials used in high field accelerator and fusion magnet systems. More robust insulators would lower magnet production cost, which will help enable future devices to be constructed within budgetary restrictions. Commercial magnets could also benefit from molded insulator components, increasing their reliability at lower cost."
"All-Weather Landmark Identification, Correlation, Geolocation, and Inertial Measurement Unit",N00014-04-C-0017,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,451858.00,Navsys Corp,CO,,Colorado Springs,CO,80921-2370,Yes,No,No,Rowland H. Worrell III,COO and CFO,7194814877,rworrell@navsys.com,Daniel Sullivan,Senior Scientist,7194814877,dsullivan@navsys.com,"The proposed navigation solution for a small UAV in a GPS denied environment uses an image-aided navigation method for overcoming GPS denial. Under the Phase I effort, methods for robust extraction of landmark models were developed to allow automatic generation of a scene object database for use by an airborne system. A correlation-based approach to provide velocity aiding using imagery was developed and demonstrated on airborne data. The resulting image-aiding navigation capability has applicability to the problem of controlling and navigating unmanned platforms in areas where GPS is not available, either due to hostile jamming or obstructions such as those encountered by ground-based systems in urban or forested terrain. Under this Phase II effort it is proposed to build and test a small payload with the image-aided navigation capability. This will be installed and flight tested on a small UAV to demonstrate the ability to navigate during periods where GPS is denied."
GPS Network-Assisted Positioning (GPS-NAP) Software Application,N68335-05-C-0063,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,999978.00,Navsys Corp,CO,,Colorado Springs,CO,80921-2370,Yes,No,No,Kristin Mitchell,Controller,7194814877,kmitchell@navsys.com,Alison K. Brown,President and CEO,7194814877,abrown@navsys.com,"Air platform and weapon navigation systems encounter situations where GPS signal reception is deteriorated, making the position and time information less reliable or unavailable. In the event of jamming, GPS can even be totally denied under some conditions which prohibits access to precision positioning data for navigation, guidance or targeting. Future air platforms and weapons will carry next generation communications links designed to provide sensor-to-platform-to-weapon connectivity. The objective of this effort is to develop and demonstrate the ability to augment the GPS-derived navigation solution through ""Network-Assistance"" from the communication link to enhance the precision and robustness of the positioning information.
Under this Phase II effort we will prototype and test a GPS Network-Assisted Positioning (GPS-NAP) software application that can be transitioned into the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS). The GPS signal processing will be implemented as a P(Y) code GPS waveform suitable for porting to the JTRS radios under Phase III. The GPS waveform will provide precise network time for a Link-16 waveform. The GPS and MIDS PPLI observations are applied to an integrated GPS/inertial Kalman Filter for enhanced, robust, position information in the event of GPS jamming."
GPS-Based Tracking System for Trauma Patients,W81XWH-04-C-0135,DOD,ARMY,STTR,2005,2,749978.00,Navsys Corp,CO,,Colorado Springs,CO,80921-2370,Yes,No,No,Ron Moffat,Controller,7194814877,ronm@navsys.com,Alison Brown,President and CEO,7194814877,abrown@navsys.com,"This proposed effort develops a NAVSYS Medical GPS Locator System that addresses two areas of concern in tracking the location and coordinating timing of events for trauma patients. Determining the timing of the treatment of trauma patients is an important aspect of increased survivability. Additionally, victims of mass trauma events may be sent to diverse locations for treatment. If the event involves a biological agent, it is desirable to be able to determine where the victims were sent to deal with the potential for possible contamination of others who come into contact with them. The effort proposed here will build on NAVSYS efforts of the Phase I program by developing a wearable GPS location device that is attached to the trauma patient's wrist upon first contact by medical staff. The GPS location device will contain a software-defined GPS radio, which will provide raw timing and location information to a Gateway via a wireless connection. The Gateway will then make use of the internet or other networking assets to send identifier, timing, and location information to a Processing Center where the GPS location information is processed and access to the results is provided to authorized users. The system will be tested in a simulated clinical situation to validate performance and value."
Integrated Wideband Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) Sensor,W15P7T-05-C-E003,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69974.00,Navsys Corp,CO,,Colorado Springs,CO,80921-2370,Yes,No,No,Kristin Mitchell,Controller,7194814877,kmitchell@navsys.com,Alison Brown,President and CEO,7194814877,abrown@navsys.com,"Although wideband SIGINT receivers are available from numerous sources, they all require other devices to provide SIGINT processing functionality. In addition, they also need other inputs required for SIGINT operations such as GPS, navigation and frequency reference. Presently, such systems require multiple chassis and connections that have duplicate functions and components driving up the cost and system size. The objective of this effort is to develop a small, man-portable wideband Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) sensor with embedded Global Positioning System (GPS) and INS processing to provide a complete SIGINT sensor in a single unit. Our proposed solution is to develop a Wideband Software Defined Radio based on our existing portable Software GPS Receiver design. This allows precise emitter identification and geolocation to be performed using the GPS derived timing and positioning information in a networked architecture. Under the Phase I effort we shall develop a design for a Wide-Band SDR and demonstrate that the design provides adequate digital shielding, RF signal fidelity, low phase noise, high selectivity and dynamic range and consistent RF and digital performance over environmental conditions to support precision signal measurement functions."
Target Location Technology for Ground Based Observers,M67854-05-C-6517,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,69993.00,Navsys Corp,CO,,Colorado Springs,CO,80921-2370,Yes,No,No,Kristin Mitchell,Controller,7194814877,kmitchell@navsys.com,Alison K. Brown,President and CEO,7194814877,abrown@navsys.com,"Current and future fire support systems are becoming more accurate due to advances in GPS guidance and IMU technologies. However, the inherent accuracy of these munitions makes them more sensitive to errors in the target coordinates, frequently referred to as Target Location Error (TLE). For the Marine Corps, the most common source of target coordinate data is the ground-based observer. Currently these observers rely upon GPS, laser rangefinders, and an azimuth-measuring device to determine coordinates. Errors due to azimuth-sensing devices such as compasses increase linearly with range, so at extended ranges their contribution to TLE is significant. Under the Phase I effort we propose to develop a design for a Precision Targeting Payload (PTP) suitable for use in a small UAV. This will apply an innovative GPS/inertial kinematic alignment procedure that we expect to significantly improve the alignment accuracy possible from the same small gyroscopes currently used by targeting devices. We will build a prototype payload and demonstrate its alignment accuracy against test targets. A design will be developed for a Phase II PTP that will allow TLEs to be determined at ranges of 5 km to an accuracy of better than 10 m."
"Research on the Development of a Miniature, Low Power Global Positioning System (GPS)/Inertial Registration Device For Use As A Weapon Orientation Sensor In Future Tactical Engagement Simulation Systems",N61339-06-C-0007,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69949.00,Navsys Corp,CO,,Colorado Springs,CO,80921-2370,Yes,No,No,Ronald Moffat,Controller,7194814877,ronm@navsys.com,Alison K. Brown,President and CEO,7194814877,abrown@navsys.com,"A solution is needed to support training operations in both an outdoor and indoor environment with precise 3-D positioning and weapon orientation to allow geometric pairing. Research solutions are needed to provide a cost effective approach for dealing with this tough problem. Our proposed solution is to leverage an ultra-low power military GPS tracking capability integrated with a low power inertial sensor that can be mounted on a dismounted soldier's small arms weapon. This small, lightweight, low power sensor assembly can be used as an absolute positioning and angular reference for tactical engagement simulation systems during live training exercises and during operational and developmental testing casualty assessment events. Under the Phase I effort we will develop a design concept for the GPS/inertial sensor assembly addressing the partitioning of functionality between the different system components and the security architecture proposed to be applied to allow for P(Y) code signal processing. The final product, under the Phase I effort, will be a report including a system specification with the estimated size, weight, power and wireless interface description for the proposed Phase II prototype units, and the packaging of technologies to support the harsh environments of the military applications."
Completely Integrated Jamming Test System (CIJTS),FA9200-04-M-0315,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99902.00,Navsys Corp,CO,,Colorado Springs,CO,80921-2370,Yes,No,No,Kristin Mitchell,Controller,7194814877,kmitchell@navsys.com,Kenn Gold,Product Manager,7194814877,kgold@navsys.com,"GPS guided weapons systems are susceptible to intentional RF interference and Jamming. Techniques exist to mitigate this interference, but they must be tested in the presence of an actual jamming threat to gain the highest assurance that they will work. Live jamming tests in the field require extensive approval and logistics to make sure that they do not interfere with other civil and military users. The approach described in this proposal is to utilize real L-band jamming signals that are not at the safety-of-life GPS frequencies. The approach involves splitting the signals from each element of CRPA antenna array with an antenna interface unit, and coherently mixing the jamming signal with the live GPS data. The CRPAs used by military aircraft for Jammer mitigation through null steering are sensitive at frequencies other than those used by the GPS, in addition to being tuned for reception at GPS frequencies. Since the proposed jammer is not at the nominal GPS frequencies, it should cause no concern that other GPS signals will be jammed unintentionally. However, the live L-band jamming used with this system will allow testing of antenna electronics using anti-jam techniques such as nulling."
Nano-Apatite Coating of the Porous Surface of Implants,1R43AR051249-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,373279.00,"Nano Interface Technology, Inc.","Nano Interface Technology, Inc.",8390A Terminal Rd,Lorton,VA,22079 0145,Yes,Yes,No,C. Singh,,7033392929,CPSNITI@COX.NET,Chittaranjan P. Singh,,7033392929,CPSNITI@COX.NET,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The rate of hip replacement has increased to 21% in the last five years. The proportion of hip or knee replacement procedures that needed revision remained in between 16% and 17%. The cemented total hip replacement is normally preferred but cemented implants have only 10-12 years of life span. The osteolysis caused by the fragments of the cement and corrosion in the implants are main reason of the failure of the prosthesis. A number of studies have revealed better biocompatibility and effectiveness of hydroxyapatite-coated implants. The use of poor quality of starting material and the high temperature attained during the plasma-sprayed coatings are the major source of impurities in the hydroxyapatite-coated implants. This leads to weaker bond strength of the coatings, delamination of the coatings and initiation of the corrosion. Since, bone contains nanometer-size carbonated hydroxyapatite crystal (dahllite), it is more logical to use ""carbonated hydroxyapatite"" as a coating material for the orthopedic and dental implants. Most of the research efforts were devoted towards nanoparticles of hydroxyapatite-coated implants. The nanoparticle of carbonated hydroxyapatite-coated implants is not investigated comprehensively.
This Phase I research is based on the synthesis of unagglomerated nanoparticles of the carbonated hydroxyapatite as well as coating of Ti-alloy with nanoparticles of carbonated hydroxyapatite at the room temperature. The proposed feasibility study will increase the bond strength of coating, reduce corrosion and subsequently increase the lifespan of the prosthesis. The commercial impact of the above research will be very significant to the US economy. It will minimize the pain and suffering of the patients. The federal government and the insurance industries will benefit in Billion of dollars from the reduced rate of revision of the prosthesis, reduction in the consumption of analgesics and the lost wages. The potential market size of the orthopedic implants is $8 Billion/year by 2007."
Carbon Nanofiber [F-18] Fluoride Ion Concentration for High Speed Biomarker Production,DE-FG02-05ER86255,DOE,DOE,STTR,2005,1,99364.00,"Nanotek, LLC",217 FenceRail Gap,,Walland,TN,37886 0251,Yes,No,No,Debbie M. Matteo,Ms.,8659801916,jdmatteo@direcway.com,Joseph C. Matteo,Mr.,8658062059,jdmatteo@direcway.com,"78954 The DOE has expressed a need for developing tools that can improve and simplify production of radiolabeled compounds. Conventional synthesis of PET radiotracers is hampered by the complex and sensitive synthesis processes that often produce low yields, consume costly precursors, and can take hours to complete. If fluoride ion could be concentrated into microliter volumes of dry solvent quickly and efficiently, then specific activity could be increased and microfluidic devices could be used to synthesize radiolabeled compounds in less than one minute. This project will develop a [F-18] fluoride ion concentration device that utilizes conductive carbon nanofiber arrays in a microfluidic chip. The device will anodically accumulate and then release [F-18] fluoride ion at volumetric concentrations of 100:1, ten times greater than conventional techniques, while simultaneously transfering the material from an aqueous to nonaqueous environment in one step. In Phase I, a prototype carbon nanofiber device will be developed and thoroughly tested hydrodynamically and electrochemically prior to cold and hot fluoride experiments. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The carbon nanofiber concentration device should enable researchers to use PET in both therapeutic and diagnostic drug discovery more easily and at a lower cost. The carbon nanofiber device also may have ionic concentration applications outside of PET, enabling high speed, chemically inert ionic separation."
Rapid Microfluidic Production of Multiple PET Biomarkers,DE-FG02-05ER84290,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,99638.00,"Nanotek, LLC",217 FenceRail Gap,,Walland,TN,37886 0251,Yes,No,No,Debbie M. Matteo,Ms.,8659801916,jdmatteo@direcway.com,Joseph C. Matteo,Mr.,8658062059,jmatteo@nanotek1.com,"78966S The DOE has expressed a need for novel probes for biomedical applications as well as radio tracers for functional molecular imaging. Synthesis of novel probes and radiotracers, particularly new PET biomarkers, is difficult and costly and is limiting the utility of PET imaging technology. There is a need for rapid production of multiple and novel biomakers with PET radiolabels from a single synthesis device, which can be routinely operated by clinical and research staff. This project will develop a microfluidic platform for high speed organic synthesis and flow-based purification of PET biomarkers, with closed-loop feedback for continuous yield optimization. The device will be capable of producing multiple biomarkers in less than 60 seconds by operating in parallel with interchangeable cartridges. Only microliter quantities of reagents will be consumed and minimal user setup will be required. In Phase I, the microfluidic circuit will be designed to support closed-loop production of biomarkers with [F-18] fluoride ion labels. A prototype synthesis platform will be fabricated, characterized, and used to synthesize fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) as a demonstration of feasibility. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The microfluidic synthesis platform should enable PET researchers to rapidly synthesize and optimize new biomarkers while consuming only microliter quantities of costly reagents. The same device can transition from research to clinical biomarker production, leveraging fast reaction speed and low reagent costs to deliver new and more specific biomarkers at significantly lower costs compared to conventional automated chemistry. Sterile disposable reactor and reagent cartridges should provide a recurring market as well."
SBIR Phase II: Software for Micro RNA Detection and Analysis,0522270,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,2,405905.00,"NATURAL SELECTION, INCORPORATED","9330 Scranton Rd., Suite 150",#514,San Diego,CA,92121 7710,Yes,No,No,Gary B. Fogel,Dr,8584556449,gfogel@natural-selection.com,Gary B. Fogel,Dr,8584556449,gfogel@natural-selection.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop machine learning tools for RNA gene detection. Prior Phase I research resulted in the successful development of artificial neural networks for the discrimination of functional RNA (fRNA) coding regions from non-coding regions in four model eukaryotes. The Phase II project will focus on (1) refinement of best evolved neural networks for 10 key eukaryotes capable of discriminating fRNA coding from non-coding sequence information, (2) experimental verification of predicted fRNA coding regions in human and mouse, (3) development of machine learning algorithms capable of discriminating between eukaryotic fRNA subtypes, (4) extension of the approach to include machine learning tools capable of discriminating between fRNA subtypes and to evaluate this potential for additional functionality, and (5) development of a user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) for the product. The commercial application of this project will be to identify a new class of targets for drug design and discovery for the pharmaceutical industry. The educational aspects of the proposed work will be to assist in dissemination of knowledge about the importance of fRNAs to the next generation of scientists."
An Integrated COA versus eCOA Tool,FA8750-05-C-0071,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,748848.00,"NATURAL SELECTION, INCORPORATED","9330 Scranton Rd., Suite 150",#514,San Diego,CA,92121 7710,Yes,No,No,Eva Fogel,Owner,8584556449,efogel@natural-selection.com,David Fogel,CEO,8584556449,dfogel@natural-selection.com,"There is a critical need for combat simulations that incorporate intelligently interactive agents, both for mission planning and training. Advances in simulation now offer the opportunity to choose simulation as an effective and cost-saving means for training; however, to be most effective, the agents in the simulation (e.g., an OPFOR) must act believably, in light of a quantified mission/purpose, and choose their courses of action (COAs) based on the likely opposing force's response (eCOAs), extended as a chain of moves and countermoves. Phase I has demonstrated an innovative COA-eCOA process that uses evolutionary algorithms to optimize COA-eCOA decisions. Experiments involving UCAVs and mobile SAMs have documented the run-time performance of the process. Missions are described in a Valuated State Spacer and normalizing function, which provides a framework that can incorporate specific target prioritization, timeliness of sensing and attacks, effects-based operations, and so forth. The work to date has set the stage for the Phase II that will construct the necessary hardware architecture, software development and optimizations, experimentation, and that can be brought to fruition in both government and civilian applications, including mission planning and training for all branches of the military, and entertainment software in the private sector."
Algorithmic Tools for Adversarial Games,FA9550-05-C-0070,DOD,USAF,STTR,2005,1,99942.00,"NATURAL SELECTION, INCORPORATED","9330 Scranton Rd., Suite 150",#514,San Diego,CA,92121 7710,Yes,No,No,Eva Fogel,Owner,8584556449,efogel@natural-selection.com,David B. Fogel,CEO,8584556449,dfogel@natural-selection.com,"A key to successful command and control is to understand the enemy's intent, particularly in light of incomplete and perhaps inaccurate information regarding social and cultural norms. It is inappropriate to project our own goals and aspirations onto the enemy. Understanding the enemy's intent will become less a matter of understanding the thinking of higher command and more a matter of inferring the adversary's intent based on a priori beliefs regarding their objectives and observed data reflecting the actual decisions in real settings. A novel combination of two technologies, evolutionary computation and the Valuated State Spacer Approach used to quantifying purpose, holds the promise of a general procedure for inferring the enemy's purpose in combat settings ranging from the campaign-level to the level of the individual. The capability described in this proposal will generate an automatic method for optimizing models of the adversary's intent, structured in a hierarchic form. Natural Selection, Inc. will team with its academic partner UCSD on the Phase I effort. Success will allow for more effective course-of-action (COA) determination when viewing the sequence of actions and reactions because the adversary's mission will be better understood, allowing for more accurate predictions of his future behavior."
"Submarine Emulsified and Mixed Hydraulic Oil Cleaning, Filtration and Reuse Aboard Ship",N00024-05-C-4150,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,599549.00,NELSON ENGINEERING CO.,5335 North Courtenay Parkway,,Merritt Island,FL,32953,Yes,No,No,Blain Nelson,President,3212691113,b.nelson@nelsonengrco.com,Carolyn Seringer,Vice President,3214030454,c.seringer@nelsonengrco.com,"Hydraulic and lubricating fluids provide critical functionality for Los Angeles Class Attack Submarines. Submarine hydraulic systems continuously experience salt water intrusion that results in contamination of hydraulic fluid and leads to component failures. Our objective is to develop a commercially-viable, lightweight Portable Filtration Unit (PFU) capable of restoring hydraulic fluid to better than new condition for use aboard LA Class Submarines. Two PFUs, consisting of Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) components, will be constructed and tested. Improvements in the filter media to reduce submicron particle contamination will be investigated. Laboratory tests of the PFUs and field tests conducted on-board submarines will be completed. The proposed portable filtration unit will extend the life of mixed hydraulic and lubrication oils used aboard submarines and prevent equipment and component failures."
SBIR Phase II: Novel Coded High Density Optical Disk Data Storage,0450531,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,2,485058.00,"NEW SPAN OPTO-TECHNOLOGY, INC.",16115 SW 117th Ave. A-15,,Miami,FL,33177-,Yes,No,No,Grace B. Wang,Ms,3052756998,gwang@nsotech.com,Jianwen Yang,Dr,3052756998,jjyang@nsotech.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II research project aims to develop a high-density optical disk storage prototype based on a new coding concept that will result in the prototype development of a compact packaged high-density optical disk storage system that is back compatible with current optical disk. Using such coding concept can significantly increase the disk data storage density and data access rate based on a modification of existing optical disk recording/readout hardware architecture. The new high density disk drive allows back compatibility with the current DVD disk and has advantage of easier market acceptance for product roll out than other developing storage technologies such as holographic and near field storages. The near term objective is to achieve 50 GB/disk capacity and more than 100 GB/disk is the next foreseeable product goal. If successful, the outcome of this project will enhance the availability of high-density low cost storage for many social applications, increasing US based data storage technologies, and increasing US jobs. It will have extensive commercial and military applications such as computer data storage, on-line storage, library archival applications, image storage, and processing for medical applications, and military target identification and fast access to large intelligent databases. Educational impacts include advancing library archive storage for educational uses and benefiting university research in astronomy, meteorology and others that require huge data storage."
Development of single-cell partial oxidative reformer/solid oxide fuel cell,FA8650-05-M-5816,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99995.00,"NEW SPAN OPTO-TECHNOLOGY, INC.",16115 SW 117th Ave. A-15,,Miami,FL,33177-,Yes,No,No,Grace Wang,President,3052756998,gwang@new-span.com,Sangyup Song,Research Scientist,3053215288,ssong@new-span.com,"There is strong demand to develop and increase the use of electric aircraft in future military and aviation applications. All electric aircraft concepts and aircraft maintenances require reliable, compact, and efficient electric power sources. Fuel cell electric generator using JP-8 fuel is identified as the electric power source of choice. Current designs of the fuel cell systems have two major subsystems: a fuel cell itself and fuel processor that extracts clean hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide from JP-8 fuel. These fuel cell systems are unable to meet the requirements on compactness, efficiency, and compatibility. New Span Opto-Technology Inc. teaming with the fuel cell group of Dept. of Hemispheric Center for Environmental Technology of the Florida International University hereby proposes to develop an innovative single-cell catalytic partial oxidative reformer (CPOR) /solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system. The concept integrates a burner, electrochemical promotion section for partial oxidative reforming, and tubular SOFCs in a single reaction chamber. Phase I will demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed concept. Phase II will develop a working fuel cell prototype system."
Miniature Wide Spectral Band High Resolution Infrared Spectrometer,N00164-05-C-6080,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,68869.00,"NEW SPAN OPTO-TECHNOLOGY, INC.",16115 SW 117th Ave. A-15,,Miami,FL,33177-,Yes,No,No,Grace Wang,President,3052756998,gwang@new-span.com,Jame J. Yang,Team Leader,3053215288,jyang@new-span.com,"Chemical and biological (CB) weapons attacks have been considered as a potential threat in military operations. Identification of CB unknowns is significant for contamination avoidance and casualty reduction. Besides benefiting to military application in chemical warfare, chemical detection and identification system will have many other commercial and civilian applications. Spectroscopy method working in infrared region is well established for chemicals identification. However, these laboratory-based instruments are very bulky, heavy weight and power consuming. For field application, it is desired to develop a light-weight portable device that provides enough spectral resolution to identify unknown chemicals by searching spectral libraries of known chemical compositions for comparison. To construct a compact spectrometer, current technologies are still based on bulky infrared spectrometers operated by notebook-type computers. Although these devices are much smaller than the established laboratory spectrometers, they are still not portable nor simple enough for wide spread implementation. New Span Opto-Technology Inc. proposes herein a portable infrared spectrometer with wide spectral band and high spectral resolution through a novel scheme design with several innovations. Phase I will study the feasibility of the proposed concept by system design and preliminary bench top demonstrations. Phase II will fabricate a prototype device and demonstrate field test."
White-Light Emitting OLED Display Based on Partially Conjugated Si-PPV Copolymer,N00014-05-M-0231,DOD,NAVY,STTR,2005,1,69998.00,"NEW SPAN OPTO-TECHNOLOGY, INC.",16115 SW 117th Ave. A-15,,Miami,FL,33177-,Yes,No,No,Grace Wang,President,3052756998,gwang@new-span.com,Sangyup Song,Research Scientist,3053215288,ssong@new-span.com,"OLED technology has improved to the point where it is now possible to envision developing OLEDs as a low cost FPD. In order to realize this, significant advances have to be made in device efficiency, lifetime at high brightness, high throughput fabrication, and the generation of illumination quality white light as new light source. Currently, these devices are being developed commercially, however, for military application, high temperature performance, and long term reliability/stability remain an issue. New Span Opto-technology Inc. proposes a novel white-light emitting OLED display with excellent thermal stability. We will use the partially conjugated Si-PPV as an emitting material. The highly efficient bright white emitting of the device will be realized from the control of the conjugation length of Si-PPVs. In order to achieve our goal, we will find out the most suitable conjugation length and derivatives of Si-PPV with various organic functional groups in the phenyl ring through the quantum chemistry simulation method. This simulation will reduce the time consuming synthetic works. We will demonstrate a bright single-layer white OLED to be realized by spin-coating. This device is the best way to satisfy the high temerpature operation requirement and to achieve the required long term reliability."
Wide Field of View Missile Sensor Capable of Spectral Discrimination,HQ0006-05-C-7273,DOD,MDA,STTR,2005,1,99996.00,"NEW SPAN OPTO-TECHNOLOGY, INC.",16115 SW 117th Ave. A-15,,Miami,FL,33177-,Yes,No,No,Grace Wang,President,3052756998,gwang@new-span.com,Jame J. Yang,"Team Leader, Optics",3053215288,jyang@new-span.com,"Long range missile sensors with capability of distinguish missiles from other flying tracks such as aircrafts and SAMs are crucial devices in missile defense systems. The capability of highly accurate angular detection of the missile along with three-component velocity determination is also important. Existing missile warning products cannot meet advanced missile defense requirements with these desired functionalities. It is preferred to develop innovative missile sensor with improvements in performance to cost ratio over existing products. New Span Opto-Technology Inc. proposes herein a novel compact background rejection hyperspectral missile sensor that is capable of discriminating ballistic missile propulsion plume from cluttered sunlight background and other type of flying tracks through its innovative spectral imaging approach. The sensor offers excellent background noise rejection, wide field of view, three-component velocity determination, and the capability of missile plume spectral evaluation using low cost imaging sensor array. Phase I will design and construct a proof-of-concept background rejection hyperspectral missile sensor and demonstrate its operation. The performance of the compact sensor will be optimized in Phase II to yield a practical device system ready to support military and commercial applications."
High Speed Wide-Field-of-View Small Target Tracking Sensor,FA9200-05-C-0184,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99998.00,"NEW SPAN OPTO-TECHNOLOGY, INC.",16115 SW 117th Ave. A-15,,Miami,FL,33177-,Yes,No,No,Grace Wang,President,3052756998,gwang@new-span.com,Jame J. Yang,Team Leader,3053215288,jyang@new-span.com,"Various techniques have been explored extensively to develop sensors for target surveillance and tracking applications. Radars working in electromagnetic radiation waveband have been greatly advanced. However, since the applied wavelength of these sensors is relatively large, radars are only suitable to detect and track large, far or well spaced objects, such as ballistic missiles, air or land vehicles, vessels, etc. There is a continuing need to develop innovative sensor that is able to recognize and track small, closely located and fast moving objects in real time at short to intermediate ranges, which can be applied to small projectile and gunfire locating. To resolve small objects, the applied wavelengths must be shorter than radio frequency wave, which is falling in optical wavebands. Existing optical sensors are not satisfied with all requirements for high speed wide field of view small target acquisition and tracking. New Span Opto-Technology Inc. proposes herein a novel sensor concept that is capable of simultaneously providing the required wide viewing angle and high spatial resolution with fast response. Implementation of the proposed concept will provide improved reliability, compact system packaging, and low cost. In Phase I we will demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed concept."
OLED display packaging method for harsh military environment extremes,H92222-06-P-0007,DOD,SOCOM,SBIR,2005,1,99996.00,"NEW SPAN OPTO-TECHNOLOGY, INC.",16115 SW 117th Ave. A-15,,Miami,FL,33177-,Yes,No,No,Grace Wang,President,3052756998,gwang@new-span.com,Grace Wang,President,3052756998,gwang@new-span.com,"Organic light emitting diode (OLED) technology for improved panel displays (e.g. navigation, integrated bridge systems, etc.) is widely recognizing as the brighter, thinner, lighter, lower power, more water tight, less expensive, and faster than the active matrix liquid crystal display (AM-LCD). In order to realize OLED, significant advancements have to be made in display device efficiency and packaging technology to withstand the maritime environment extremes such as shock, vibration, salt, water, high and low temperatures. New Span Opto-technology Inc. proposes a novel white light emitting OLED display having partially conjugated poly(phenylenevinylene) (PPV) polymer and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) encapsulation system to endure the harsh environmental conditions. Our innovative packaging idea using PDMS encapsulation will overcome the harsh marine environmental barriers including shock, vibration, temperature extremes, and salt water and will be compatible with requirements for Night Vision Imaging System such as sunlight readable, low power consumption, and wide view angle. Total system weight and fabrication cost of this novel OLED display device would be dramatically reduced when compared to conventional AM-LCD displays or currently used hermetic sealed OLED displays. We will demonstrate a bright single-layer white OLED device and test its reliability to meet military standard environmental specification (MIL-STD-810D) requirements."
Multi-Power Source for MEMS Packaging,W56HZV-05-C-0092,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69700.00,"NOVELTECH, INC.",3725 Tremont Lane,,Ann Arbor,MI,48105,Yes,Yes,No,Anique Newaz,President,7342071990,noveltech@sbcglobal.net,Chunlei Xie,Senior Research Engineer,7342071990,noveltech@sbcglobal.net,"The objective of the Phase I SBIR program is to investigate the feasibility of using multi-power sources fro MEMS packaging, to over comeheating at the bonding the limitations of each single power source to allow localized heating at the bonding area without overheating temperature sensitive electronic circuitry and MEMS devices. Success from this program can lead to developing an advanced MEMS packaging technology and platform for a wide range of materials, bonding mechanisms and applications."
Smart Structures for MEMS Packaging and Shape Memory Alloys (SMA),W56HZV-06-C-0058,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69289.00,"NOVELTECH, INC.",3725 Tremont Lane,,Ann Arbor,MI,48105,Yes,Yes,No,Golam Newaz,Research Director,7342231006,gnewaz@comcast.net,Chunlei Xie,Senior Engineer,7342071990,noveltech@sbcglobal.net,"The overall objective of the program is to develop novel MEMS packaging concepts using SMA-based smart structures, especially to enhance sealing reliability, as well as flexibility in assembly/disassembly/packaging. The specific objectives of the program can be enumerated as follows: (1) Feasibility study on SMA micro-material system selection, Ferro-based SMA and SMA (Ferro plus NiTi) hybrid composition. (2) Investigation of micro-manufacturing processes, including micro-fabrication, thermalmechanical stabilization and shape memory training. (3) Evaluation of physical and mechanical properties, and relationship between material composition/processing condition and resulting characteristics."
Innovative Airworthiness Certification Concepts and Quality Assurance Processes for the PAV,NNL05AB22P,NASA,NASA,STTR,2005,1,99667.00,NexTechnologies International Corporation,26 Preservation Way,,Westford,MA,01886-0423,Yes,No,No,Vicki Klinka,Business Official,9783922213,boknext@aol.com,Brian O. Klinka,,,boknext@aol.com,"We propose to develop a foundation for the Airworthiness Certification of the Personal Air Vehicle (PAV), This framework will recommend a model for Quality Assurance, consistent with the ""consensus"" based industry standards, and acceptable to the FAA. Further, our focus will include the review of certain FAA Regulations (CFAR) that create economic barriers to entry to the aircraft industry for high-volume automotive manufacturers and to offer alternative concepts for certification that remove or reduce these barriers."
SBIR Phase I: Synthesis and Processing of High Performance Polymer Nanocomposite Foams,0512314,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,NIL,1109 Millcreek Lane,,Columbus,OH,43220,Yes,No,No,Kuang-Hong Hsu,Dr,7405226617,nil_oh@yahoo.com,Kuang-Hong Hsu,Dr,6143546427,nil_oh@yahoo.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project aims to develop a new manufacturing process for producing light weight, strong and fire-resistant polymeric foams by using innovative nanotechnology. The team will synthesize nanocomposites using polymers with a high CO2 affinity as matrices, an environmentally friendly process compared to current chlorofluorocarbon blowing agents. To improve fire-resistance, surfactant-free and water-expandable polymer/clay nanocomposites will also be prepared by suspension polymerization of inverse emulsion. The project will further expand the polymer nanocomposite family by exploring the utilization of different nanoparticles, such as carbon nanofibers (CNFs). Since surfactants are not needed, there is no fire hazard problem. These nanocomposites will be compounded into different polymer matrices and then foamed into high performance products through both batch and continuous extrusion foaming processes using environmentally benign CO2. The foamability and mechanical properties of these nanocomposites and their blends will be investigated. Commercially, nanocomposite foams are aimed at both structural and insulation applications and have the potential in structural applications to replace solid polymers. The proposed manufacturing process may achieve better energy savings in automotive, aerospace, infrastructure and housing industries. The potential market for this technology is huge because polymer foams touch nearly every aspect of modern life. The U.S. market for polymer foams was more than 7.4 billion pounds in 2001."
Novel Anti-Inflammatories for Cardiopulmonary Bypass,1R43HL080934-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,206911.00,"NOVELMED THERAPEUTICS, INC.","11000 Cedar Avenue, 135",,CLEVELAND,OH,44106-3007,Yes,No,No,Jack Jiang,,4404779874,JACK@NOVELMED.COM,Rekha Bansal,,4404779874,rekha@novelmed.com,"The complement system is an important host defense system, however, inappropriate and/or excessive activation of the complement system has been implicated as contributing to the pathogenesis of many disease states, including post-cardiopulmonary bypass. There is evidence that the complement alternative pathway (AP) contributes significantly to the generation of pro-inflammatory agents in cardiac bypass. Complement activation products such as C3a, C5a, and sC5b-9 have been found within the blood of patients undergoing bypass and a positive correlation have been reported between the degree of complement activation and the post CPB complications. NovelMed has identified a potent inhibitor of the AP, which inhibits C3a, C5a, and C5b-9 in normal human serum. The focus of this study is to evaluate the effect of this inhibitor in an in vitro and ex vivo models of complement activation. In phase II this molecule will be converted into a clinical material and tested in a pediatric bypass circuit.
NoveMed has filed a patent on the use of this inhibitor in cardiopulmonary bypass to inhibit alternative pathway activation.
Rekha Bansal is a co-author of a patent ""Process for inhibiting complement activation via the alternative pathway "", US patent 6,333,034, issued December 25, 2001"
Fast Nuclear Event Detection and Circumvention System FPA ROIC,W9113M-05-C-0163,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,2,749511.00,Nu-Trek,16955 Via Del Campo,Suite 250,San Diego,CA,92127-2110,Yes,No,No,Miriam Rauch,President and CEO,8584878149,miriam@nu-trek.com,Bill Poland,Director of Engineering,9098647858,bill.poland@nu-trek.com,"End product of SBIR is a fully qualified NED for use in GBI (4/Kill Vehicle and 4/Booster). The NED is 1/15 the volume and has 1/3 the power consumption of leading commercial NED. It will enable DISTRIBUTED, MULTI-LEVEL circumvention and recovery, replacing the current single-level circumvention of the ENTIRE electronics. This will also allow optimization and reduction of GBI shielding. The NED will be radiation hardened to HANES Levels 1, 2, & 3. Key innovation is use of Si transistors as the radiation sensors as opposed to PIN diodes. Phase II work will include developing and optimizing the sensor as well as qualifying the NED for use on GBI. This will include comparing sensors made with the TI BiCom Process and the Peregrine Process. The development of the NED has been endorsed by Boeing (Dr. Duncan Still, GBI System Engineering) and the GBI Program Manager, Colonel Damian Bianca. ATK Mission Research will be performing the radiation effects testing and Dr. Bill Seidler (Boeing) will be the GBI interface."
Next Generation Soft Bremmstrahlung Simulator,HDTRA1-05-P-0024,DOD,DTRA,SBIR,2005,1,99984.00,Nu-Trek,16955 Via Del Campo,Suite 250,San Diego,CA,92127-2110,Yes,No,No,Miriam Rauch,President and CEO,8584878149,miriam@nu-trek.com,John Rauch,Chief Scientist,8584878149,john@nu-trek.com,"The proposed concept has the potential of meeting in full DTRA's Near Term Simulator Goal for a 20-200 keV, 0.03 cal/cm2, 1,000 cm2, < 20 ns FWHM source. Innovations include (1) Parallel Pulse Forming Network for driving low impedance (< 1 ohm) loads; (2) High voltage (300 kV), high current (40 kA), low jitter (< 3 ns), fast rise time ("
"CODE STEM - Moon, Mars, and Beyond; DLESE-Powered On-Line Classroom",NNG05CA67C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69974.00,Nu-Trek,16955 Via Del Campo,Suite 250,San Diego,CA,92127-2110,Yes,No,No,Miriam Rauch,Business Official,8584878149,miriam@nu-trek.com,Miriam Rauch,,8584878149,miriam@nu-trek.com,"CODE (COrps DEvelopment) STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) ? Moon Mars and Beyond; DLESE-Powered On-Line Classroom shares the excitement of President Bush's vision of space exploration with 8th grade students. Program fulfills standards-based 8th grade curriculum and will be implemented in two diverse Escondido schools (Grant, Rincon). San Diego County Office of Education will ensure relevance and integration into formal curriculum. Through thematic approach to learning and multi-disciplinary exhibit-centered final project, Program strives to engage broad cross-section of students and teachers. Focus is on developing a theme-specific DLESE (Digital Library for Earth System Education) collection and portal. On-line learning communities and inquiry based learning protocols (San Diego State University) will enhance DLESE effectiveness. Implementation culminates with multi-disciplinary student exhibit at participating schools and San Diego Aerospace Museum, sharing excitement of space exploration with general public. In Phase II DLESE collection will be expanded to support additional grade levels (3rd, 5th, 8th, high school), there will be broad implementation in San Diego and Nashville (through Fisk University), and teacher training."
Self Organizing Sensor Arrays,FA9453-05-M-0117,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99709.00,Nu-Trek,16955 Via Del Campo,Suite 250,San Diego,CA,92127-2110,Yes,No,No,Miriam Rauch,President and CEO,8584878149,miriam@nu-trek.com,William Poland,Director of Engineering,9098647858,bill.poland@nu-trek.com,"Using Nuclear Event Detectors (NEDs) and Dosimeters, Nu-Trek, SAIC, and Kinney Consulting will demonstrate, feasibility and benefit, of sensors that self-organize during assembly. Sensors are part of the spacecraft avionics and can be reconfigured as needed. Our Space-ZigBee architecture, combines the approach of the ZigBee wireless standard with the SPA-U plug and play interface, for a ""wired"" approach especially well suited for sensors and control devices. In the context of a nuclear threat, Nuclear Event Detectors (NEDs) are used to initiate circumvention. In NED implementation internal shielding greatly impacts the dose rate reaching the NED and it is VERY difficult to determine computationally where to place the NED. In the demonstration, the dosimeters will activate the NED that is closest to the location in which the dose is highest. We will also perform a Trade-Of-Study and prepare a roadmap for the development of the dosimeters and NED/dose rate sensing arrays."
User Centric Data Acquisition and Delivery Sytems for Precision Ag,NNS05AA27C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69929.00,"Nvision Solutions, Inc.",21294 Johnson Road,,Long Beach,MS,39560-3717,Yes,Yes,No,Craig A. Harvey,Business Official,2286882205,charvey@nvs-inc.com,Craig Harvey,Principal Investigator,2286882205,charvey@nvs-inc.com,"The availability of remotely sensed data has been improving with each new high-resolution satellite obtaining operational capability in orbit. However, the ability of commercial and government entities to efficiently share or sell this data has not kept pace. The proposed GeoSpatial data distribution system will exploit recent improvements in advanced computing environments and processing algorithms to provide on demand products with a ""no minimum purchase"" requirement. The inability of data providers to efficiently create and disseminate small foot prints or even on-demand data products has been a limiting factor in expanding the use of remotely sensed data. Creating a system that can efficiently distribute data or products in small foot prints will greatly improve the economic viability of the entire industry. Providing a customer initiated order system will make ordering up remotely sensed data as easy as creating a Web-based profile and interactively selecting and downloading the raw-data of choice or choosing and executing the real-time development of a data product. Pay by the square kilometer with no minimums. Use of the advanced functions provide unprecedented functionality to create a new, customer defined data product."
Nano Porous Azobenzene Dendron Films for Laser Eye and Sensor Protection,W911QY-05-C-0025,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,120000.00,"OCEAN NANOTECH, LLC","OCEAN NANOTECH, LLC",2143 Worth Lane,SPRINGDALE,AR,72764-6050,Yes,No,No,Y. A. Bu,Business Manager,4792367147,alicebu@oceannanotech.com,Y. A. Wang,Principle Scientist,4798710707,awang@oceannanotech.com,"We have developed an innovative lensless optical power limiting system for green region exploiting photoanisotropy of azobenzene films for low power continuous wave and high power nanosecond pulsed lasers (also with picosecond in solutions). It is a promising technique for next generation laser eye and sensor protection. For a practical device application with films we have to optimize the photoanisotropy to reduce the exciting beam power requirement, improve the response time for ultrashort pulse application and explore avenues for broadband response. To address these issues, this SBIR team proposes films of NanoPAD and MesoPAD systems. The NanoPAD system is designed to use nanosize pores to facilitate ease of photoisomerization and orientation of the azobenzene molecules as in a solution. The interaction between the azobenzene and the host polymer is minimized by reducing their contact area. Further decrease in the interaction will be achieved by reducing polymer polarity. The MesoPAD system is designed with free space around azobenzene molecules to make the environment solution-like for fast response. Finally, several azobenzene molecules will be incorporated into both systems for broadband applications. Protection at both low and high power over the entire visible region will be achieved demonstrating Technology Readiness Level 3."
Automated Rendezvous and Docking Infrastructure to Support Commercial Space Development,NNM05AA31C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,68447.00,Odyssey Space Research,"1120 NASA Parkway, Suite 505",,Houston,TX,77058-3320,Yes,Yes,No,David Strack,President,2814887953,dstrack@odysseysr.com,David Strack,Principal Investigator,2814887953,dstrack@odysseysr.com,"NASA's safety mandate for crewed and high value spacecraft currently necessitates design requirements that create a cost barrier for commercial companies trying to provide on-orbit logistics services for NASA. The proposed innovation offers a means to facilitate commercial involvement in on-orbit servicing by developing a spacecraft that removes this burden from commercial vehicles. The spacecraft will:?Perform automated rendezvous and capture to ferry commercial spacecraft to target spacecraft?Provide a safe interface between simple, low cost, commercial spacecraft and high value targets (ISS, CEV, Lunar Lander, propellant depot, or high value satellites)This will serve as key infrastructure element to enable emerging commercial space companies and other developers of low cost systems to play significant roles in NASA's Exploration program and/or ISS re-supply activities. This infrastructure will:?Prevent restrictive and extremely expensive fault tolerance, safety, and Human Rating requirements from being levied on the commercial vehicles,?Remove the need for commercial vehicles to design, develop, and test independent automated rendezvous and docking (AR&D) systems,?Reduce the amount of expensive AR&D and safety related hardware launched and discarded on each flight, and?Reduce the cost of integrating each spacecraft through standardized interfaces."
Fusion of Inertial Navigation and Imagery Data,NNJ05JC03C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69955.00,Odyssey Space Research,"1120 NASA Parkway, Suite 505",,Houston,TX,77058-3320,Yes,Yes,No,David Strack,Business Official,2814887953,dstrack@odysseysr.com,David Hammen,,2814887953,dhammen@odysseysr.com,"The innovations of the Fusion of Inertial Navigation and Imagery Data are the application of the concept to the dynamic entry-interface through near-landing phases, the autonomy and (near) real-time requirements of the system, and the focus on satisfying the stringent requirements for reliability and verification for spaceflight. This innovation will allow spacecraft to navigate autonomously, precisely and safely from entry-interface to near-landing. The plan is to develop automated techniques suitable for onboard software that incorporate recognized objects from imagery data into the vehicle's navigated solution. We will use image processing techniques to compare the imagery with expected views, pattern recognition techniques to identify known objects in the comparison, mechanisms for locating known objects using the navigated state, and filtering techniques to update the navigated state with the errors between the observed and expected results. To qualify as flight software, the proposed solution will be reliable and verifiable, and will satisfy limitations of the onboard equipment. No existing techniques solve all of these problems. Current techniques for incorporating imagery data into navigated solutions use sensors that have significantly shorter ranges, rely on registration markers placed on the target, use ground-based computational equipment, or require human intervention to arrive at a solution."
ABL Smart Piping System for Containment and Control of Highly Corrosive and Hazardous Chemicals,HQ0006-05-C-7254,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,2,749898.00,Odyssian Technology,511 East Colfax Avenue,,South Bend,IN,46617,Yes,No,No,Susan Bennett,Vice President Business A,5742577500,Susan.Bennett@odyssian.com,Barton Bennett,President & Sr. PM,5742577555,Barton.Bennett@odyssian.com,"During this program, multifunctional (smart) piping system technology will be developed for used on the Airborne Laser (ABL). This system, which was demonstrated in phase I, has a multifunctional design with integrated containment and leak detection functionality. The smart piping system design uses lightweight materials in conjunction with integrated sensors to achieve an advanced lightweight piping system that detects leak progression of toxic and corrosive chemicals. The smart piping system will benefit the ABL by protecting its personnel and weapon system from the highly toxic and hazardous laser chemicals. Literature shows that exposure to chlorine gas at concentrations of 40-60 ppm is very dangerous and that exposure at concentrations of 1000 ppm will cause death after a few breaths. Another corrosive gas used in the ABL laser is ammonia gas which may be explosion under the right conditions, especially in confined spaces and if exposed to a intense energy source such as static discharge. Chlorine gas can be highly corrosive to aluminum and titanium structure, as well as, electronic circuitry. Phase I demonstrated that the smart pipe was 32% lighter over the baseline tubing (Hasteloy C-276). During phase II, further weight reduction will be achieved through design exploration and optimization."
Structurally Integrated Hybrid Battery for Improved Performance of Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (SUAV),FA8650-05-M-2580,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99944.00,Odyssian Technology,511 East Colfax Avenue,,South Bend,IN,46617,Yes,No,No,Susan Bennett,Vice President Business Operations,5742577555,Susan.Bennett@Odyssian.com,Barton Bennett,President & Sr. Progr. Mgr,5742577555,Barton.Bennett@Odyssian.com,"Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) have been demonstrated to be highly effective in conducting a wide array of military mission. Due to relatively recent advances in rechargeable Li-Polymer battery and brushless electric motor technology, a greater number of small UAVs are electric powered. Though the use of quiet, low vibration, fast deployed electric propulsion systems have many advantages over their gas-powered counterparts, there is a need for the improved stamina of these systems to meet challenging long endurance mission requirements. To increase the flight time of small electric UAVs, Odyssian Technology proposes to develop and demonstrate multifunctional structure having a structurally integrated hybrid battery system. Structural battery concepts are proposed that structurally integrate the battery system into the airframe of a phase I flight demonstrator. Phase I battery-structure designs will be developed having structurally integrated commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) battery cells. In addition, phase I will include the design of a structurally integrated hybrid battery system for demonstration in phase II. Odyssian Technology proposes to develop in phase II highly integrated and optimized battery-structure designs using custom battery components. The benefits of this advanced aeropropulsion design include longer flight time, increased payload capacity, and enhanced thermal performance of the battery elements."
Improved Reliability and Producibility of Ballistic Missile Defense Systems through Highly Controlled Deposition of Critical Battery Components,HQ0006-05-C-7191,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99946.00,Odyssian Technology,511 East Colfax Avenue,,South Bend,IN,46617,Yes,No,No,Barton Bennett,President & Sr. Program Mgr,5742577555,Barton.Bennett@Odyssian.com,Barton Bennett,President and Sr. Program Mgr,5742577555,Barton.Bennett@Odyssian.com,"The missiles used by the military today are electronic intensive: control systems, navigation systems, and targeting systems all have components on-board the missile. These systems require a power source that is capable of delivering large amounts of power throughout flight of the missile. The power source must be capable of being stored for decades without loss of power or performance while being reliably and easily activated within milliseconds. Currently, thermal batteries are widely used to achieve these goals. Thermal batteries are stored with the electrolyte in a solid state; preventing chemical reactivity and associated current leakage that is prevalent in common wet electrolytic batteries. To activate the thermal batteries, igniters are electrically charged causing hot embers to shoot out into the core of the battery. These embers ignite flammable material within the battery causing the electrolyte to activate the battery. The reliability of these battery igniters determine whether or not the battery is activated and in turn determines whether or not a missile will have its necessary targeting, navigation, and control systems. Novel concepts for increasing the reliability of these battery igniters are proposed that use low cost physical vapor deposition of one of the critical igniter components."
A Prototype Fish Metrology System for Open Ocean Aquaculture,DG133R-05-CN-1241,DOC,DOC,SBIR,2005,2,199848.00,"Onomea Scientific, LLC",27-470 Old Mamalahoa Hwy,,Papaikou,HI,96781-0043,Yes,No,No,Laurie A. Mendonca,President,8089648646,pua@onomeascientific.com,Daniel J. O'Connor,Chief Scientist,8089366287,dan@onomeascientific.com,"Open-ocean aquaculture businesses are proving commercially successful. There are several refinements this technology must undergo in order to maximize productivity. One of the specific areas of refinement is in gathering detailed statistical knowledge of the captive fish stock population as a function of time. This knowledge will allow optimization of feed rates. Optimized feed rates will minimize feed costs, maximize fish yields, and minimize environmental impact. In addition, time series analysis of measured length-frequency distributions can be used to enhance fish harvesting strategies. We propose to build a novel, non-invasive, environmentally friendly, in-situ imaging system to provide fish length-frequency data on a routine basis. The prototype system is a low-cost, diver-activated, biometric imaging system with laser based absolute metrology."
A Room-Temperature High-Speed Quantum Dot Infrared Photodetector with High Photodetectivity,NNG05CA93C,NASA,NASA,STTR,2005,1,99996.00,"Opin Technologies, Inc.",2817 Cascade Falls Dr,,Austin,TX,78738-0534,Yes,Yes,No,Linghui Wu,Business Official,5122638659,wulinghui@yahoo.com,Hao Chen,Principal Investigator,5122638659,wulinghui@yahoo.com,"The STTR Phase I proposal aims to develop innovative device concepts and fabrication techniques that enable the construction of high-performance uncooled long-wave infrared (LWIR, 8-12?Ym) photodetectors. LWIR photodetectors are of great importance in real-time acquisition of radiation characteristics of the Earth and its environments for understanding and predicting the Earth's climate and potential hazards. Quantum dot infrared photodetector (QDIP) technology offers an excellent choice for LWIR sensing due to its superior performance, including high temporal resolution ("
Low-Probability-of-Intercept/Low-Probability-of-Detection (LPI/LPD) Data Link,N68335-05-C-0260,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,80000.00,"OPTEMAX, LLC",930 Henryton Road,Suite 3,Marriottsvillle,MD,21104,Yes,Yes,No,Shirley Collier,C.E.O.,4104617405,scollier@optemax.com,Tom Collier,Chief Technology Officer,4104617405,getinfo@optemax.com,"Optemax has developed proprietary secure mobile optical wireless technologies with inherent LPI/LPD data link capabilities, that would be ideally suited for tactical and unmanned aerial vehicles. Our research has been focused on beam to beam steering for tracking and communicating with moving objects, seamless interfaces from free space optics to a fiber optic infrastructure, pulse stretching to overcome atmospheric interferences, free space optical networking and quantum cryptography, all of which Optemax has branded ""BeamNetTM "". These are are key components for utilization of the optical regime for mobile high speed free space optical communications. The BeamNet technologies promise to deliver up to a terabit per second communications to moving objects over a 10 - 15 KM range before needing repeaters. This speed is 18,000 times faster than Wi-Max (802.16), and significantly more secure due to its narrow beam width. However, Optemax also has obtained a patent on quantum cryptography that can be utilized in ultra-secure environments. Our Beamnet technologies also have a complementary satellite component which can be used in conjunction to the UAV/tactical products to transmit data security throughout all parts of the globe at unprecedented speeds."
"Miniature, Low Cost Real-Time Weather Sensor for Airdrop",W911QY-05-C-0030,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69700.00,"Optical Air Data Systems, LLC",VA,,Manassas,VA,20110-2042,Yes,No,No,Phil Rogers,President,7033930754,progers@oads.com,Pri Mamadipudi,Director of Engineering,7033930754,pri@oads.com,The Army is developing a series of gliding parachute systems such as the PAGASYS and WSADS which rely on detailed wind prediction. The lack of availabilty of accurate wind profiling data results in significant uncertainty during final approach and air drop. Future systems will need to incorporate actual on-board real time sensors which provide actual real time wind measurement. The sensor developed by Optical Air Data Systems is an all fiber optic remote wind sensing device capable of being placed on board the air drop platform.
Vertical Wind Profile Data Collection Using Laser Technology on Unmanned Delivery Platforms.,H92222-05-P-0022,DOD,SOCOM,SBIR,2005,1,99540.00,"Optical Air Data Systems, LLC",VA,,Manassas,VA,20110-2042,Yes,No,No,Phil Rogers,President,7033930754,progers@oads.com,Pri Mamadipudi,Director of Engnieering,7033930754,pri@oads.com,Optical Air Data Systems is proposing to develop an all fiber optic laser wind sensor which can be used to profile the winds to improve the accuracy of the Leaflet Delivery Systems (LDS). The sensor will reduce errors associated with wind drifts which cause reduction in drop accuracy. The all fiber optic system will be light weight and low cost and greatly enhance the performance of the airdrop mission.
"Diver Worn Equipment for Diving in Chemical/Biological, Toxic Industrial Chemical and Toxic Industrial Material (TIC/TIM)",N00024-04-C-4107,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,600000.00,Paragon Space Development Corporation,AZ,,Tucson,AZ,85714-2221,Yes,No,No,Taber MacCallum,CEO,5209031000,tmaccallum@paragonsdc.com,Grant Andeson,VP Engineering,5209031000,ganderson@paragonsdc.com,"Terrorist attacks (e.g. USS Cole, chemical and biological warfare) and accident recovery (e.g. TWA 800, Ehime Maru) can require extensive Navy dive operations in contaminated, hazardous environments. However, current diving equipment was not designed to operate in such conditions, much less protect divers from exposure to contaminants in the water. These environments are so severe that equipment deteriorates to the point of breakthrough and failure in a matter of minutes, threatening the safety of the diver as well as the mission. Divers working in these conditions need robust equipment, such as Paragon's proposed Regulated Surface Exhaust (RSE) system, that provides reliable protection and isolation from hazardous materials.
Phase I results from laboratory tests and analysis of critical components show that the Navy's dive equipment can be modified to act like a spacesuit, completely isolating the diver from the water. Further, extensive material compatibility and permeability testing conducted by Paragon identified materials that can be used to replace the vulnerable exposed soft parts of the diving system. Existing Navy diving equipment can be cost effectively modified with a field deployable retrofit kit, providing reliable isolation from contaminated, hazardous environments. The Phase II objective is to provide a tested prototype retrofit kit."
Solar Refrigeration,W911QY-05-C-0031,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119854.00,Paragon Space Development Corporation,AZ,,Tucson,AZ,85714-2221,Yes,No,No,Taber K. MacCallum,CEO,5209031000,tmaccallum@paragonsdc.com,David J. Bergeron III,Sr. Systems Analyst,5209031000,dbergeron@paragonsdc.com,"The Army Combat Feeding Equipment and Technology Team has identified the potential merits of using renewable energy to power the refrigeration unit for their 20-ft food containers. Using renewable energy can reduce both the operational and location footprint of these containers. Renewable energy systems typically find markets in situations where the cost to deliver energy to the end device is high. The cost of transporting fuel and providing service to diesel power generators located in remote parts of the world is very high, and thus creates an opportunity to consider the use of renewable energy systems that will significantly reduce both fuel use and the maintenance logistics burden for these systems. In the case of food refrigeration, several similar technology systems have already been developed that support the notion that this is a practical application of renewable energy."
High Efficiency Refrigeration Process,NNJ05JA10C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,2,589073.00,Paragon Space Development Corporation,AZ,,Tucson,AZ,85714-2221,Yes,No,No,Taber K. MacCallum,CEO,5209031000,tmaccallum@paragonsdc.com,David J. Bergeron,Principal Investigator,5209031000,dbergeron@paragonsdc.com,"It has been proposed by NASA JSC studies, that the most mass efficient (non-nuclear) method of Lunar habitat cooling is via photovoltaic (PV) direct vapor compression refrigeration. This system uses a thermal radiator, a solar PV array, and a vapor compression refrigeration device. Such a system significantly reduces total system mass as compared to an all radiator cooling architecture. Since the start of initial prototype testing in the mid 1990s, several refrigeration systems have been proposed, studied, built, and tested. The basic goal of each system has been to achieve the highest possible efficiency at the optimal system lift. Most notably, a two-stage refrigeration system and an expander turbine for a single-stage system were developed. Both sought to eliminate or recover the energy loss associated with irreversible expansion at the throttling valve, but both fell short of efficiency targets. Then, Paragon proposed a novel refrigeration architecture that was successfully demonstrated during the Phase I period. This system can achieve, in theory, near Carnot efficiency limits and does so in a practical and achievable way. Not only can this technology provide significantly improved performance (reduced weight) for NASA's Lunar habitat cooling application, but it has excellent potential as a commercial product."
Integral Radiators for Next Generation Thermal Control Systems,NNJ05JD49C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,2,588816.00,Paragon Space Development Corporation,AZ,,Tucson,AZ,85714-2221,Yes,No,No,Taber K. MacCallum,CEO,5209031000,tmaccallum@paragonsdc.com,Grant A. Anderson,Principal Investigator,5209031000,ganderson@paragonsdc.com,"Integral radiators integrate the primary structural system and the thermal rejection system into a dual function subsystem allowing for reduced weight. The design of these systems require a careful trade-off of thermal fluids, structural materials, thermal coatings and structural shape. The Paragon Crescent panels are a family of solutions that allow a highly efficient stressed skin, semi-monocoque structure to also be a radiator on the external surface of a Apollo-like Service Module as envisioned for the CEV. The resulting design optimizes the structural/thermal trade-off while allowing for practical considerations of manufacturability, ground handling, testing, and access. The baseline materials and fluids chosen address cost, safety and robust design. Some coating development is still needed to meet the handling requirements. The structural concept will need to be tested to validate modeling predictions and gain experience in structural behavior. Finally, full up radiator panels need to be manufactured and tested to validate the manufacturing methods, thermal analysis, and overall radiator/thermal fluid choices."
Advanced Magnetic Sensing,N00014-05-M-0285,DOD,NAVY,STTR,2005,1,70000.00,PASSIVE SENSORS UNLIMITED,2200 Kraft Drive,Suit 1200a,Blacksburg,VA,24060-,Yes,No,No,Jiefang Li,President,5404439261,jiefang@aol.com,Jiefang Li,President,5404439261,jiefang@aol.com,"Recently, our research team has developed a new generation of single element ME laminate composite magnetic field sensors. The ME effect is a polarization response to an applied magnetic field or conversely a magnetization response to an applied electric field. In Phase I of this program, Passive Sensors Unlimited and Virginia Tech will (i) prototype four ME sensor units, including detection circuitry; (ii) establish the performance characteristics of these four sensor units, with respect to signal-to-noise and bandwidth; and (iii) perform a limited field-test in order to demonstrate the ability to detect a target."
Prototype Aviation Combat Crew Trainer (PACCT),N61339-05-C-0052,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,747478.00,"PATHFINDER SYSTEMS, INC.",5525 West 56th Avenue,Suite 400,Arvada,CO,80002,Yes,Yes,No,Marcia Richard,Contracts Administrator,3037638660,mrichard@PathfinderSystems.com,Ivan J. Jaszlics,Vice President,3037638660,ivanj@PathfinderSystems.com,"Pathfinder Systems, Inc. will research, develop and demonstrate a Prototype Aviation Combat Crew Trainer (PACCT). The design of PACCT will focus on providing an aircrew trainer for the H-60 class of aircraft, especially the Army's UH-60 helicopters. The design will be applicable to the Navy's MH-60S helicopters as well. This prototype will demonstrate selected aircrew training tasks specified for the Army's Combat Crew Trainer System Requirements Document. Its design will be deployable, compatible with transportation in 20-ft ISO containers, and the training device will fit into an expandable shelter. The PACCT design will include technology that is transferable to other aircraft, especially to the CH-47 helicopter, but also including aircraft used by Marine Corps medium and heavy lift squadrons, that is the MV-22, CH-46E and CH-53E."
Chromatographic Microfluidic Separation of Glycoprotein,1R43RR021799-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,100000.00,"PHOENIX S AND T, INC.","PHOENIX S AND T, INC",1350 Edgmont Ave.,Chester,PA,19013,Yes,No,No,Sau Staats,,4109969735,SAULAN@PHOENIX-ST.COM,Sau L. Staats,,4109969735,SAULAN@PHOENIX-ST.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Molded plastic microfluidic devices packed with self-assembled silica nanoparticles can potentially dramatically improve the resolution of the gradient elution liquid chromatographic separation of glycosylated proteins while consuming minute amount of sample. Using multiple channels (over 100) in the same device will greatly enhance throughput. This separation complements existing two-dimensional protein separations using isoelectric focusing and molecular sieving in a 2D gel. A proof of principle prototype plastic microfluidic device that is compatible with all common mobile phases of the separation methods has been fabricated. This device potentially allows the optimized packing of self-assembled nanoparticles in the channel as chromatographic column material. The Phase 1 of this proposal project focuses on developing methods for packing the channels, and surface modification of the silica particles to optimize the separation of model glycolsylated proteins using optical detection. In Phase II of the project, devices with multiple separation channels interfaced for nanospray mass spectrometry will be developed to increase throughput and detection sensitivity."
Submarine Detection by Acoustic Retina Network,W31P4Q-05-C-R140,DOD,DARPA,SBIR,2005,2,799982.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Stephen Kupiec,"Director, New Technologie",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address DARPA's need to detect submarines in littoral areas using thousands of inexpensive sensors, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Submarine Tracking by Analogous Retina Formed by Immersed Strip Housing (STARFISH) system. The central system element compresses inexpensive sensor nodes combining a Kynar acoustic transducer, thin film battery, MEMS pressure or magnetorestrictive sensor, and microprocessor, laminated in a strip of biodegradable plastic. The sensor is designed for high-volume, low-cost web production. The strips are scattered by air or sea and then establish a network by sending simple acoustic chirps to designated secondary nodes, which concentrate and preprocess the information, using neural net methodology. When a detector senses a contact or notices a chirp occlusion from its neighbors, it generates a detection chirp, which is processed by the secondary nodes. When the secondary nodes a pattern of recognized detections, the generate distinctive chirps that are detected and located by a small array of sonobuoys. In Phase I POC demonstrated the feasibility of the STARFISH system by developing separate prototype sensor hardware. In Phase II, POC will develop integrated sensors, and secondary nodes, and deploy and test the detection system in an actual littoral marine environment."
Laser Lancing Device,2R44AG018682-02A2,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,2,979938.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,,3103203088,GDREW@POC.COM,Gregory Zeltser,,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant):
The National Institute on Aging is seeking minimally perturbing techniques for collecting blood from mice, rats, and other laboratory animals several times a day in sufficient quantities to measure hormone levels and other circulating factors in young and old animals over the course of long-term experiments. Current blood collection techniques cause pain and stress, and require anesthesia, or are unsuitable for long-terms repeated experiments. No instrument is available for undisturbed and painless blood collection from unanesthetized and unrestrained laboratory rodents 3-4 times a day over long-term experiments. To address this need, Physical Optics Corporation proposes to design, develop, and fabricate a new portable Laser Lancing Device (LLD) for painless and rapid (1-1.5 min.) collection of serial blood samples from the tails of unanesthetized rodents. The main goal of this Phase II project is to develop a complete engineering LLD prototype ready for testing and validation in research laboratories and veterinary clinics. The new LLD blood collecting system will be a technological breakthrough in laboratory animal science, and especially in animal studies that require minimally perturbing blood sampling. Because of the unique properties of the LLD and its improved treatment of laboratory animals, it will also have wide application in animal clinics, animal shelters, and veterinary medicine. This Phase II effort to develop an LLD will include the following: optimizing the laser diode irradiation regime based on an improved optical projection system that will allow shorter pulses and pulse trains, to diminish collateral thermal damage; designing and fabricating inflatable heating cuffs that will be easy to operate and minimally perturbing to the animals; and integrating and packaging the complete engineering LLD prototype for testing and validation in research laboratories and veterinary clinics. When fully developed, the LLD will be a rapid, painless, stress-free, easy-to-use device for collecting serial blood samples from the tails of unanesthetized mice and rats."
Multiaxis Strain Sensor and Fiber Optic Network,N00178-05-C-3070,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,299994.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Ranjit Pradhan,Director,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"Physical Optics Corporation proposes to develop a Novel Fiber Optic Unified Sensor System (NOFUSS) for multiaxis strain measurements in multiple locations within a canister of a vertical launch missile. This multisensor system connects a minimum of 48 strain sensors, each acquiring data on strain in three dimensions. These sensors are interrogated through optical fibers, with the signal time and wavelength division multiplexed to acquire data at sampling rates exceeding 5 kHz for each sensor required for measuring and recording shock and vibration history. NOFUSS is based on a canister-mounted network of passive electrically safe miniature MEMS sensors, fast data acquisition system technology, and a user-friendly graphical user interface. The sensors and light delivery fibers satisfy all military requirements for ruggedness and environmental stability and will have a minimum lifetime of six years, exceeding the life cycle of the missiles. In Phase I a working prototype of the NOFUSS was demonstrated with several MEMS fiber optic strain sensors and a fast data acquisition system; in Phase II an optimized NOFUSS prototype will be developed, and its capability to monitor vibration and shock on U.S. Navy missiles will be demonstrated on the self defense ship Paul F. Foster."
Interferometric Subsurface Evaluation System,FA8501-05-C-0043,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,749996.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Russell Kurtz,Group Leader,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the Air Force need for a device to detect and localize subsurface corrosion in multilayer metallic structures, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new, accurate, automated Interferometric Subsurface Evaluation System (ISES) whose capabilities far exceed those of current nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technology. The ISES is based on POC-developed Bulge Interferometric Thermal Stress (BITS) measurement technology, using a monolithic Michelson interferometer to measure the bulge. An ISES device itself will cost less than the current test cost of removing and replacing the wing skin, and it will scan the entire area of interest on an F-15 wing in under an hour and generate a printout and an image showing location, depth, and size of each corrosion spot. No training will be required to competently measure corrosion with this system, even in multilayer structures composed of dissimilar metals. In Phase I POC successfully demonstrated the concept of ISES by locating subsurface corrosion spots in an F-15 wing section, including one that was behind the titanium skin. In Phase II POC plans to fabricate a fully functional ISES and demonstrate it on a dismounted F-15 wing at Robins AFB."
Optical Amplifier Based on Liquid Crystal Holographic Fabry-Perot Etalon,FA8650-05-C-6527,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,2,745530.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Operator,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Tin Aye,"Vice President, EOH Divis",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a novel all-optical amplifier device based on a new Amplification of Light by Liquid Crystal Etalon (ALLICE) concept. The key component of this device is a unique holographic Fabry-Perot etalon with optically sensitive dye-doped liquid crystal (LC) filling the cavity. The LC reacts to near-infrared (NIR) radiation but is unaffected by (and does not affect) visible light. The proposed technology is made commercially attractive by its unique integration of low cost producible coherently coupled holographic Bragg reflectors, which ensures that any variation in the LC modulating medium is compensated for in the holographic mirrors, giving ALLICE high sensitivity, resolution, and contrast without expensive, bulky, and heavy optics or high voltage components. In Phase I POC successfully demonstrated the feasibility of ALLICE through modeling and system design, culminating in a proof-of-concept demonstration of conversion and amplification of NIR light around one micron wavelength into 530 nm visible light. In Phase II POC will develop a fieldable prototype optical amplifier device with high spatial resolution and spectral selectivity, overcoming the drawbacks of image intensifier tubes, and allowing see-through for visible-wavelength cockpit light."
Real-Time Holographic Water-Drop-Size Measurement System,DE-FG02-04ER84042,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,2,749899.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon E. Drew,Mr.,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Fedor I. Dimov,Dr.,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"75699S To fully understand the global warming problem, the properties of the stratus clouds that cover much of the earth must be understood. In particular, new instrument technology is needed to make statistically significant measurements of the size distribution of water drops in these clouds. The regimes of interest include diameters from 3 to 200 microns, with total concentrations on the order of 10 to 100 drops per cubic centimeter. Existing in situ optical instruments, used on research aircraft and on the ground for measuring the drop size distribution of water clouds, are inherently limited in the volume ┬┐ and thus drop size ┬┐ they can measure. In the best technology, digital holography, resolution is limited by the large pixels of the imaging CCD cameras. This project will develop a new holographic water drop size measurement system with high-resolution (less than a micron), a highly sensitive (0.1 microjoule exposure level per square centimeter) photothermoplastic recording material for the hologram, and a high-speed and high-resolution CMOS camera for image recording and processing. It will record holograms in real time and increase system field-of-view, meaning that a larger number of droplets can be analyzed. In Phase I, an experimental optical setup was built, holograms of water droplets on photothermoplastic material were successfully recorded, and images from the holograms wre retrieved via a CCD camera. Droplet image sizes were measured directly and also estimated from interference patterns. In Phase II, a fully operational, compact, lightweight prototype system will be developed for real-time continuous hologram recording, development, and retrieval on research aircraft or tethered balloons. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The high-resolution, high-speed, holographic water droplet measuring system should find extensive commercial applications in atmospheric measurement; oil-fired direct-absorbing chillers and microturbines; and biological, medical, university, and research facilities. It also should improve the efficiency of fuel and commercial irrigation systems."
Adaptive Noncoherent Dazzler Floodlight,M67854-05-C-6512,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,599992.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Ilya Agurok,"Director, Optical Instrum",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"A noncoherent source of light is needed as a nonlethal weapon to disable opposing forces with minimal casualties. To address this need, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Adaptive Dazzler Floodlight (ADF), based on a noncoherent compact source and a dazzler. ADF will deter opposing forces at controllable levels varying from repel to incapacitate. Its noncoherent eye-safe illumination will cause no permanent injury to personnel. In the ADF approach, the output pulses are optimally shaped using pulse-width modulation technique, power and color combinations are controlled by switching on a variable number of light emitting diodes (LEDs), the outputs of which are collimated by nonimaging solid collimators. The ADF also includes a xenon arc lamp as a conventional floodlight whose output is collimated by an innovative POC omnidirectional collimator and directed by a conical mirror. The xenon lamp outputs the floodlight beam through the ring-shaped outer area of the ADF aperture, whose central area is occupied by the LED dazzler assembly. In Phase II, POC will optimize the Phase I prototype, provide the human efficiency test, and develop an engineering prototype for US MARCOR evaluation and field testing."
Adaptive Turbofan Noise Active Control,N41756-05-C-1457,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,599988.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Keehoon Kim,Team Leader,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) needs effective turbofan/prop noise abatement technology to respond to increasingly stringent aviation noise regulations for aircraft operating from civilian airports and military bases. To address Navy requirements, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) has developed in Phase I a new Adaptive Turbofan Noise Active Control (ATNAC) system based on an entirely novel concept that combines passive/active cancellation technology and adaptive feedback controls. The ATNAC system consists primarily of a reactive noise suppression device and an adaptive neural network control module. In Phase II, POC proposes to develop a fully functional ATNAC system for turbofan engines, including real-time control hardware and smart material hi-fi actuators, and to test our system in a scale near-real turbofan model in an anechoic chamber facility to verify its performance.
Phase II will concentrate on developing smart reactive noise suppression devices consisting of smart actuators with passive noise absorbers, for generation of high-fidelity acoustic counter energy and on implementing a further refined adaptive neural network prediction algorithm into fast, real-time parallel processing hardware, including all necessary interfaces and system packaging. POC will integrate all ATNAC components into a fully functional system to be tested in a realistic scenario in an anechoic chamber."
Holographic Optical Element-Based Laser Diode Source System for Direct Metal Deposition in Space,NNM05AA01C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,2,599985.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon E. Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Russell Kurtz,Principal Investigator,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,"To meet the challenges of rapid prototyping, direct hardware fabrication, and on-the-spot repairs on the ground and on NASA space platforms, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposed a new Holographic Optical Element-Based Laser Diode Source (HOELDS) system for direct metal deposition (DMD). HOELDS uniquely combines multiple high-power laser diode bars with holographic optical elements, efficient thermal management and innovative focusing optics to achieve a 600 W, 100-micron focused spot for DMD materials processing. The 7-kilogram, 0.1 cubic meter HOELDS system will be ten times as energy efficient as current 1000 kilogram, 20 cubic meter DMD systems, making in-space DMD processing possible for the first time. HOELDS can process aluminum, which is extremely difficult for state-of-the art DMD systems. In Phase I, POC developed a preliminary HOELDS system, theoretical analysis, computer simulation, and component specifications leading to a proof-of-concept prototype. Melting of lead-tin solder with this prototype was demonstrated at NASA Marshall Space Center. The Phase II effort will optimize the system design, optimize fabrication of the holographic optical elements, and scale up the system into a compact high-power HOELDS system prototype capable of DMD. The prototype system will be performance tested for in-space DMD, and will be space qualified."
"Versatile, Expandable, Strategic, and Tactical Equipment Carrier",H92222-05-C-0037,DOD,SOCOM,SBIR,2005,2,749992.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Kang Lee,Engineer Specialist,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"In response to the SOCOM MANPACK Innovative Vest Research solicitation topic, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop novel Versatile, Expandable, Strategic and Tactical Equipment Carrier (VESTEC) technology to be integrated into the MOLLE/SPEARS/BALCS and ELCS military vests. Phase II will address both short-term and long-term SOCOM needs, delivering multiple sets of prototypes. For the short term, POC will enhance SOF tactical vests by developing a high-strength, nonmetallic connector body. Based on this development, five prototype vests are to be constructed--two BALCS and three ELCS--all integrating the MegaWave BWA. For the long term, POC will incorporate SOF users' input, in redesigning and optimizing the final version of a tactical vest based on the VESTEC system. The final VESTEC version will include a new locking mechanism, an environmental seal, improved electrical performance with higher bandwidth and lower insertion force, and new wire integrated textile cable. The final stage in the VESTEC development will be extensive lab as well as field testing as necessary to meet required MIL-STDs. At the conclusion of the project, POC will deliver two final vests incorporating VESTEC technology."
Inertial Capacitive Incapacitator,NBCHC050108,DHS,DHS,SBIR,2005,1,99992.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Michael Reznikov,,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"The Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency is seeking an innovative less-lethal untethered electromuscular disruptor device that is inexpensive, safe, lightweight, man portable, and easy to use to stop illegal behavior of individuals, groups, or crowds. The physical environments vary from a small room to a city street or a sports stadium. The goal is to temporarily incapacitate, confuse, delay, or restrain a person or persons when lethal force is not appropriate or the use of lethal force could cause collateral effects such as injury to bystanders, or damage to property or the environment. To meet this need, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Inertial Capacitive Incapacitator (ICI) based on a unique combination of a soft ring airfoil with a compact, thin film voltage generator. The ICI will be powered by inertial force to produce a high-voltage discharge of limited energy. The ICI device can be optimized to fit virtually any launcher. Because of the low impact momentum needed, the ICI is safe and can be launched even by a pneumatic pistol. The ICI is charged when it is fabricated, and can maintain this charge for decades. The electric energy delivered does not depend on the distance to the target. The proposed ICI avoids the drawbacks of current nonlethal munitions: it is not tethered to the launching platform, and is low-cost, lightweight, and easy to use. Commercial products will include modified nonlethal tools and weapons for law enforcement, security guards, personal self-defense, and possibly hunting. With their single stun dartless action, the novel ICI based projectiles will dramatically reduce the risk of accidental lethal injury, and can replace present nonlethal weapons. The ICI technology will replace blunt trauma with much safer electrical incapacitation."
Near-Infrared Bragg-Grating Skylight Analyzer,DE-FG02-05ER84294,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,99999.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon E. Drew,Mr.,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Fedor I. Dimov,Dr.,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"78364S The Department of Energy is seeking innovative optical detector methods and instruments to lower the cost of moderate-resolution oxygen A-band spectrometry, capable of collecting information about the distribution of scatterers and absorbers in the atmosphere. This project will develop a new low- and high-resolution, near-infrared, Bragg-grating sky light analyzer based on a thick holographic dispersing element with optical properties optimized for oxygen A-band sky light spectroscopy. The proposed analyzer will be an innovative, low-cost, 0.7 m long and 0.1 m diameter spectrometer with a resolution of 0.7 wavenumber, light efficiency of 5%, and high wavelength stability, significantly surpassing the performance of present spectrometers at comparable prices. In Phase I a proof-of-concept laboratory breadboard will be designed and built with the capability to measure photon pathlength in the oxygen A-band (around 764 nm) for two lines, with a resolution of 0.04 nm. The key components will be multiplexed high efficiency reflection holograms recorded in photothermorefractive glass. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The new spectrometer should extend the analysis of absorption and scattering spectra from the ultraviolet to the infrared, enabling investigators to analyze not only particle size and distribution but also gas concentration in the atmosphere. The new technology should also advance optical tomography for remote sensing of the atmosphere and near-Earth space, robot vision, and intrusion alarms."
Membrane Nano-fragment Preparation Technology,DE-FG02-05ER84293,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,99988.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon E. Drew,Mr.,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Gregory Zeltser,Dr.,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"78774S Understanding the mechanisms within microbial cells is vital to Department of Energy programs for energy production, bioremediation, carbon sequestration, and encouragement of cleaner industrial processes. Many of the signal transducers and molecular machines of the living cell are membrane proteins, which are therefore important pharmaceutical targets. However, no simple and reproducible procedure has been reported for isolating these proteins in a monodispersed form that maintains the phospholipid-protein native structure and functionality. This project will develop technology to study membrane proteins intact, rather than dissolved. The technology will be based on precise control of molecular interactions to carve out nanofragments of innate membrane that supports a membrane protein, without disturbing the lipid bilayer. In Phase I a laboratory prototype of membrane nanofragment preparation technology will be designed, fabricated, and tested to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach for solubilizing membrane proteins. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The preparation of the nanofragments should enable researchers to study the structure and function of this important class of biological macromolecules. Furthermore, the ability to bind substrates, inhibitors, and other interacting molecules with these solubilized membrane proteins in their original environment has significant potential for development of high-throughput screening methods for pharmacological target proteins."
Real-Time Holographic Structural Instability Evaluation System,NBCHC060016,DHS,DHS,SBIR,2005,1,99989.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,(310) 320-3088,gdrew@poc.com,Hansheng Zhang,Research Scientist,(310) 320-3088,,"To address the need for improved techniques to determine the structural stability buildings and other structures, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Real-time Holographic Structural Instability Evaluation (RHOSIE) system based on novel temporally modulated holography (TMH), with acoustic excitation and highly sensitive rewritable photothermoplastic recording film. The RHOSIE system holographically records and reconstructs the surface vibration pattern as an indicator of material structure stability, characteristic of a material structure that is acoustically stimulated by a transducer. The overall vibration pattern recorded in the holograms can be read out by a CCD camera, and the data processed to extract the high-frequency components resulting from the stress distribution in the material structure of the building. The mapped stresses on the structure can be analyzed to quantify the structural integrity to warn of serious instability or pending collapse. In Phase I POC will design, analyze, and assemble a breadboard prototype to demonstrate the feasibility of RHOSIE. In Phase II we will focus on an optimized, miniaturized, and fully functional packaged portable prototype system for testing and evaluation at a HSARPA selected facility."
Secure Carton Integrated Electronic Remote System,NBCHC050111,DHS,DHS,SBIR,2005,1,99999.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Eugene Levin,,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"The Department of Homeland Security is seeking innovative approaches and key technologies for securing inter-modal cargo, and for integrity monitoring with tracking capability at the level below that of the ISO container. This technology is to include a secure tamper-evident skin and active RFID with a secure information system, and the capability of arming and monitoring the system, with local communications for reporting any integrity breach. Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new four-security-layer Secure Parcel ISO Distributed Enhanced RFID (SPIDER) system based on: smart electric skin with conductive ink; unique RFID communication with container; protection against sophisticated intrusion; geospatial analysis tracking, and software for effective manipulation and analysis of parcel status in a WebGIS environment. In Phase I POC will design the critical material, electronic, and software components, and develop a working prototype for the first two security layers of the SPIDER. Phase II will culminate in a SPIDER fully functional prototype. POC┐s experience in the web-imprinting-fabrication process, electronic packaging, electronic components, and GIS not only ensures the smooth integration of SPIDER into U.S. Homeland Security ACSD and MATTS but also will attract investment to enter the international container shipping and global logistics markets. The integration of POC┐s cost-effective SPIDER technology into the ACSD and MATTS programs for secure ISO containers will increase the productivity and accuracy of these tools. POC┐s SPIDER not only meets the major DHS requirements for cargo integrity monitoring, but also has significant commercial applications in international inter-modal shipping and global logistics."
Silicon Microchannel Neutron Lens,DE-FG02-05ER84248,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2005,1,99988.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon E. Drew,Mr.,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Paul Shnitser,Dr.,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"78343S The Department of Energy supports a number of large-scale, national user facilities (such as the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory) that generate intense beams of neutrons for the characterization of materials. Despite advances in neutron sources and instrumentation, many neutron scattering experiments remain flux limited, and, therefore, a long time is needed to collect data on neutron scattering. Improved focusing optics would enhance the neutron flux density in samples, significantly reducing data collection time. This project will develop an innovative compound silicon microchannel neutron lens with a geometrically perfect microchannel structure. The proposed microchannel ""lobster eye"" lens will focus neutrons far more efficiently than conventional lobster eye lenses because of the specially designed lens shape, and will focus neutron flux into a spot of approximately 0.02 mm. Phase I will optimize the lens design, fabricate a small-scale lens prototype, and conduct a proof-of-concept performance demonstration by focusing hard X-rays. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Besides the applications in the unique instrumentation in National Laboratories, the proposed lens should find use in the next generation of neutron microscopes, currently being developed. Such microscopes, with spatial resolution far beyond the limits of visible light microscopy, are urgently needed for submicron photolithography and for biomedical research on cell structures."
Structure Health-Assessing Wireless Sensors,NBCHCO60014,DHS,DHS,SBIR,2005,1,99996.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Keehoon Kim,Group Leader,3103203088,,"To address the need for on-the-spot structural stability assessment by emergency personnel, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new wireless stand-off structure integrity monitoring system, Structure Health Assessing Wireless Sensors (SHAWS), based on multimodal remote sensors, a wireless communication module, and handheld receivers. The SHAWS system evaluates the stability of structures by means of multimodal, hybrid sensors in terms of structure displacement, dislocation, and strain changes. The sensors? output signals are transmitted for instant alarm/warning to multiple users through a wireless network. In prototyping the SHAWS system, POC will make use of its customized sensor packages such as an integrated inertial MEMS, optical proximity sensors, and smart material strain sensors, and wireless networking systems. In Phase I POC will demonstrate a functional SHAWS prototype with a testbed, showing that SHAWS can accurately monitor a structure?s state-of-health in real time. In Phase II POC plans to develop a packaged SHAWS system and demonstrate full functionality in realistic environments. POC?s SHAWS commercial applications include data processing/storage for shipboard sensors, where remote data measurements and updates are required for control and monitoring purposes such as transportation, logistics, equipment tracking and maintenance, and security."
Lobster Eye X-Ray Imaging Underwater Scatterometer,N00014-05-C-0134,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,447534.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Michael Gertsenshteyn,"Director, Photonic Techno",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a unique Lobster Eye X-ray Imaging Underwater Scatterometer (LEXIUS) to meet the Navy's need for high-quality X-ray backscattering imaging/detection of buried mines. The proposed LEXIUS is based on unique POC lobster eye (LE) hard X-ray focusing optics. It will be compatible with the Navy's small underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). LEXIUS can image buried objects through >5 in. of sediment by focusing and acquiring Compton backscattering photons simultaneously from an entire 2D large scene irradiated by a wide-open cone beam from an X-ray source in the range of 60 to 120 keV, at a rate >10 frames per second. Enhanced resolution, 25 enable LEXIUS to distinguish between armed and disarmed mines. LEXIUS can collect this vital information in real time, independently of ROV/AUV motion, and without posing hazards to Navy personnel. In Phase I POC developed a working prototype that demonstrated for the first time hard X-ray backscatter images of metal and nonmetal objects. In Phase II POC will develop an optimized fully operational underwater LEXIUS prototype, and will demonstrate at a Navy facility its capability to image mines buried in sediment."
Novel Quantum Dot Assisted Semiconductor Gamma Ray Detector,NBCHC050112,DHS,DHS,SBIR,2005,1,99989.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Naresh Menon,,3103203088,utama@poc.com,"To address homeland security needs, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Gamma Ray Quantum Dot Semiconductor Heterostructure (GammaDot) sensor system. This compact modular system consists of Pb quantum dot (Q-dot) heterostructure laser module, a photodiode module, and a smart electronics module. The Pb Q-dot laser module consists of a stack of heterostructure lasers, which generates a laser output proportional to the incident gamma ray photons captured by Pb atoms. The photodiode module detects this output, and the detected signals are processed and interpreted by the smart electronics module to extract gamma ray spectral data. The GammaDot sensor system will have excellent energy resolution of "
Soil Texture Classification Imaging System,W9132V-05-C-0007,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119996.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Sergey Sandomirsky,Laboratory Manager,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To meet the U.S. Army need for innovative technology for the automatic, precise classification of soil texture types, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new SOil Texture Classification Imaging System (SOTCIS). The SOTCIS is based on a two-level interconnected architecture: a Prediction Level and a Measurement Level. At the Prediction Level the system will generate expected soil texture types and recommendations for methods of measuring soil properties relevant to the inferred soil landscape. Data collected at the Measurement Level at the site along with GPS positioning information will be saved in Army GIS-compliant format. SOTCIS will be a tool for collecting soil texture data for Army GIS. In Phase I POC will design and select relevant software and databases for development of the Prediction Level subsystem, and will develop two major elements at the Measurement Level: an imaging multispectral module (IMM) and soil shear strength module (SSM). At the end of Phase II, POC will deliver the entire SOTCIS prototype for integration with a moving ground platform and field testing."
Soil Texture Classification Imaging System,W9132V-06-C-0009,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,2,729986.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Sergey Sandomirsky,Director,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To meet the U.S. Army need for an innovative technology for automatic precise classification of soil texture types according to the USCS schema, in Phase I Physical Optics Corporation (POC) successfully developed a SOil Texture Classification Imaging System (SOTCIS) prototype. Specifically, POC demonstrated that soil texture at a particular observation point can be classified in situ in a few minutes (not hours as in conventional methods) by a minimally trained operator. In addition, repeated measurements can be taken easily under computer control, increasing SOTCIS accuracy and reliability. The SOTCIS architecture consists of two interconnected subsystems: the prediction level subsystem (PLS) and the measurement level subsystem (MLS). The PLS determines expected soil texture types and recommends methods of soil properties measurement relevant to the inferred soil landscape. The MLS measures three major soil properties: particle size distribution, plasticity, and organic matter content. Data collected by the MLS at the site along with GPS positioning information is saved in Army GIS-complaint format. In Phase II POC will integrate the PLS and MLS with GPS and geophysical devices, and perform field test SOTCIS to predict soil textures in accordance with the USCS system."
Self-Healing Textile-Based Autonomous Reconfigurable Network,W911QY-05-C-0024,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119982.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Kang-Bin Chua,Research Scientist,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Army need for a robust wearable multi-path conductive personal area network for data and power transfer, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Self-healing Textile-based Autonomous Reconfigurable Network (STARNet) based on a self-healing conductive ink-based physical (SCIP) layer fabricated on flexible substrates integrated into warrior clothing, with body-conformable wearable connector (WC) elements and innovative multiply redundant power and data networks. The proposed system offers for the first time a biomimetic self-healing capability combined with multiply redundant power and data networks for autonomous reconfiguration capability. The STARNet has snap connection and disconnection of USB and FireWire devices with added reliability from self-healing electrical interconnects for localized breaks in the network. The system is designed to withstand severe environments and repeated laundering cycles, is lightweight, is easy to expand to larger numbers of connected devices, and can be integrated into current or future military uniforms. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the STARNet technology by developing a proof-of-concept STARNet prototype that will achieve a technology readiness level of 4. In Phase II POC will fully integrate selected technologies into Warrior clothing, creating a multipath network with a technology readiness level of 5."
GPU Intensive Modular Cluster Rendering for Hardware In-the-Loop Sensor Simulation,W31P4Q-05-C-R089,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119980.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Stephen Kupiec,"Director, New Technologies",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Army need for a real-time physics-based near-infrared laser sensor scene generation system based on graphics processing unit (GPU) rendering algorithms, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new cluster accelerated simulation modular infrared (CASMIR) system based on GPU-intensive physics-based simulation algorithms exploiting both cluster- and node-level parallelism. The system takes full advantage of newly developed GPU architectures that combine highly programmable shading processors with hardware optimized to perform vector algebra, rapid table lookups, and other rendering operations. POC will also develop a novel form of cluster, combining a conventional Beowulf cluster with multiple PCI express (PCIe)-coupled GPU-based video cards in each node. Inter-node parallelism coupled with intra-node parallelism and the flexibility of GPU-based simulation enables CASMIR to perform real-time physics-based generation of high fidelity IR scenes. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the CASMIR system by means of a prototype cluster with intra- and inter-node parallelism. In Phase II POC plans to extend the CASMIR system to a high performance cluster capable of arbitrary IR simulation."
Waveguided Holographic Infrared Soldier-Mounted Eye Tracker,W81XWH-05-C-0029,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119982.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Fedor Dimov,Senior Research Scientist,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Army need for a head or helmet mounted eye monitor, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a novel Waveguided Holographic Infrared Soldier-mounted eye Tracker (WHIST). The proposed device will illuminate the eye with a modulated infrared beam delivered from an LED by a flexible thin optical fiber bundle via total internal reflection inside a thin plastic waveguide visor, and a reflection hologram. The beam reflected from the eye and coupled back into the fiber bundle is captured and processed by a high-speed CMOS imaging array chip. With the high speed modulation of the LED, the device will collect complete information about gaze, pupil, eyelid, and saccadic movements, which will be processed in real time, and determine points of fixation of eyes in milliseconds. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of WHIST by connecting the sensor array to a remote panel, where the data will be integrated with data from a standard physiological database. Algorithms and software will be designed so that data streams will be collected synchronously and processed to generate all the required parameters. In Phase II POC will produce a complete prototype system, which will undergo initial Airworthiness Certification testing."
Autonomous Self-Configuring/Self-Regulating Smart Sensing Windscreen,W15QKN-06-C-0023,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69999.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Keehoon Kim,Group Leader,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Army need for a miniature windscreen, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new dynamic miniature windscreen, autonomous self-configuring/self-regulating smart-sensing (AS4) system based on a set of dynamic meshes and a self-sensing strip. The AS4 windscreen is integrated with a simple, no-maintenance sensor that directly neutralizes aggravating effects of wind noise in real time. The AS4's efficient self-configurable mechanism, without mechanical moving parts, dynamically regulates air turbulence and buffeting according to sensed wind parameters. Despite its extreme compactness, the AS4's active windshielding is responsive to time-variant wind noise, transients, and blowing sounds. In Phase I we will complete the design of a preliminary laboratory prototype, develop self-sensing and self-regulation, and demonstrate the functional AS4 system in a simulation testbed, in which we will simulate transient wind noise. In Phase II POC plans to develop a packaged AS4 system satisfying design configurations and critical implementation parameters, and to demonstrate the final prototype to verify key performance parameters."
Networked Intelligent Agents and Distributed Decision Aids for Net Centric Fires,W15QKN-06-C-0037,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69994.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Brian Xu,Research Scientist,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Networked Intelligent Agents and Distributed Decision Aids (NIADDA) for net centric fires. The proposed NIADDA system will consist of three major modules: real-time intelligent agents module for real time cognitive decision aids facilitating rule engines, neural networks, evolutionary algorithms, artificial intelligence and soft computing; Web-based user interface module using document automation and Web-based Internet protocols; and cross-platform API (application programming interface) module that will be coded with reusable code base, i.e. C++, which will significantly decrease development time for future Army applications. The intelligent agents module is configurable and customizable to create specialized intelligent agents to accomplish their tasks, as a key component in the NIADDA. The NIADDA capabilities can be used via both Web Services and API. In Phase I POC will demonstrate functionality and reusability through simulation and performance assessment. The innovative NIADDA applications will provide the basis for developing next generation intelligent agents for network centric fires, to support application component development in Phase II. In Phase II we will develop detailed component design and component API specifications, implement software and application scenarios, and provide complete documentation of the NIADDA techniques, analyses, and demonstration results."
Viewbox Enhanced Wave-Guided Helmet Mounted Display Visor Optics,W15P7T-05-C-L603,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119987.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Fedor Dimov,Senior Research Scientist,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Army need for an ultrathin, wave-guided head-mounted display (HMD) for the Future Force Warrior (FFW), Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Viewbox Enhanced Wave-guided (VIEW) HMD technology based on our demonstrated aberration-compensated waveguide holographic optical element (HOE) technology. The proposed approach will display high resolution color imagery over a field-of-view (FOV) of up to 90 degrees with a large eye motion box (>10 mm), and see-through capability. In this system, highly off-axis waveguide holograms make possible thin, low-profile visor optics for the HMD. POC's commercial product, Light Shaping Diffuser, for illumination and a specially designed narrowband red-green-blue multiplexed holographic optical element demonstrated previously will largely prevent the chromatic and geometric aberration introduced by conventional HOEs and refractive optics. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of VEIW-HMD by producing a thin test plate, containing a tapered waveguide and three-color hologram that together will direct visual information from the miniature SVGA display into the soldier's eye. In Phase II POC plans to deliver a hardware prototype of an advanced wave-guided head-mounted display system."
Viewbox Enhanced Wave-Guided Helmet Mounted Display Visor Optics,W15P7T-06-C-L403,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,2,729988.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Fedor Dimov,Group Leader,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"In this Phase II project, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Viewbox Enhanced Waveguided (VIEW) HMD technology based on a waveguide holographic optical element (HOE) for off-axis image projection of a high-resolution microdisplay through a thin curved plastic visor as a waveguide. This VIEW-HMD will display color imagery over a field-of-view of more than 40 degrees with a large eye motion (>10 mm), and see-through capability. The unique narrowband illumination light source and the red-green-blue multiplexed reflection HOE prevent the chromatic and geometric aberration that would be introduced by conventional HOEs and refractive optics. In Phase I POC demonstrated the feasibility of VIEW-HMD by producing a test plate containing a visor waveguide and two three-color holograms that together direct visual information from the miniature SVGA display into the eye. In Phase II POC will optimize the design, fabricate components, then package and deliver an SXGA display system on a curved visor that has a low profile ("
Organically Modified Sol-Gel Nanocomposite for Lightweight Optically Clear Armor Protection,W56HZV-05-C-0093,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119987.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Kevin Yu,"Director, Holographic Systems",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new low-cost, lightweight and flexible Organically Modified Sol-gel (ORMSOL) nanocomposite material to replace heavy bulletproof glass in transparent ballistic window structures. The proposed ORMSOL nanocomposite will have excellent optical properties, thermal stability, durability, and flexibility, as well as excellent ballistic performance at a reduced weight compared with current glass/polycarbonate backing material. ORMSOL will be produced by systematically reacting a sol-gel precursor with methyl methacrylate or polyurethane to form a prepolymer, which will then be cured before it is treated with zirconium oxide nanoparticles. The proposed versatile chemical synthesis methodology will precisely determine the physical, chemical, optical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the resulting ORMSOL material. ORMSOL can be cast to form parts in a variety of shapes and thickness and in desired mechanical, thermal, and optical properties. In Phase I POC will develop the ORMSOL nanocomposite and prepare samples to demonstrate the flexibility of the ORMSOL synthesis method and ballistics properties of various compositions. The samples will be tested for mechanical, thermal, optical, and ballistic protection characteristics. Phase II will focus on optimizing the process and developing pilot production of ORMSOL nanocomposite material."
Self-Mixing Interferometric Speedometer,W15P7T-05-C-W202,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119897.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Paul Shnitser,"Vice President, Photonic Systems",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Army need for a self-contained navigation subsystem, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Self-Mixing Interferometric Speedometer (SMIS). The SMIS will reliably trace the movement of a dismounted soldier with respect to the ground, floor, walls, trees, or other stable objects and surface. The SMIS is based on POC's extensive experience with laser Doppler velocimetry. Integrating state-of-the-art self-mixing laser diode interferometry with commercial off-the-shelf components, the SMIS will have advantages that include small size, light weight, low cost, high reliability, low power consumption, and high accuracy. The SMIS can be incorporated into Army sensor platforms to measure velocity, displacement, and vibration. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the SMIS by building an initial prototype for laboratory testing at POC's on materials representative of an urban environment. In Phase II POC will design and develop the full scale SMIS prototype and perform field tests specified by the Army."
Solid-State LED Illumination System,W911QY-05-C-0016,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69989.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Ilya Agurok,"Director, Optical Instrumentation",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop an innovative solid-state illumination (SOSIL) system for U.S. Army soft shelters. The proposed SOSIL will comprise an array of single light fixture assemblies, each a high-brightness white LED with a proprietary POC nonimaging beamformer. An array of 12 light fixtures will evenly illuminate an Army shelter. The SOSIL is designed to illuminate without glare or dazzle, even when viewing a light fixture directly. The SOSIL power supply will apply variable duty cycle 200 Hz light modulation for light dimming and heat management. The SOSIL fixtures will be permanently attached to the shelter, transportable, and deployable as part of the shelter. Unlike current systems, the SOSIL will have no fragile vacuum tubes or bulbs, and so will be safe and reliable. The LED's lifetime of 100,000 hr. projects to a 15 yr. operating period, which exceeds the lifetime of the shelter. In Phase I, POC will design the SOSIL and develop and test a light fixture prototype. In Phase II a SOSIL engineering prototype will be developed and tested at an Army facility."
Solar Cogeneration Using Holographic Concentrators for Heating and Electricity,W911QY-05-C-0028,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,70000.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Kevin Yu,"Director, Holography and Materials",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new thin, lightweight highly efficient, rugged, low-cost film-based self-deployable solar cogeneration holographic concentrator (SCHOC) for heating water and generating electricity for use in Army field kitchens (MKTs). The SCHOC consists of two sets of flexible holographic concentrators, a mosaic of heat focusing holographic optical elements (H-HOEs) and light focusing/holographic optical elements (L-HOEs). The H-HOE, based on a reflective holographic optical element, will reflect a broadband spectrum above 800 nm. The reflected and concentrated IR energy of the solar radiation will be transferred to the heat transfer fluid inside the absorber tube, and then be transferred to the water inside the water heater until it reaches the desired temperature; at the same time it will effectively cool down the MKT. The transmitted visible light will be focused by the L-HOE onto a series of high efficiency photovoltaic cells to generate electricity. In Phase I a laboratory prototype system will be designed and developed and its performance analyzed, and the concept will be characterized by means of experimental demonstrations. When fully developed, the proposed SCHOC system will be lightweight, efficient, environmentally stable, and producible at low cost, well suited for Army field kitchen applications."
Flexible Polymer Guided Light Array Scanning Textile-Mounted Display,W911QY-05-C-0027,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69987.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Tin M. Aye,"Vice President, EOH Division",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the Army's need for ultrathin, flexible, high-resolution electronic color displays for use on soldiers' uniforms and on interior and exterior shelter fabrics, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new rollable Polymer Guided Light Array Scanning (POLYGLAS) display that is low-cost, low-power, compact, full-color, rugged, and sunlight readable. The proposed display is based on a unique combination of three technologies: a miniature light scanner based on light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a microelectromechanical (MEM) element; highly flexible polymer waveguide array laminates; and a novel holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal switching fabric. POC's proposed display surpasses current flexible displays in terms of size, power, resolution, color, and speed. This is achieved by direct modulation of light through a flexible polymer waveguide array with an ultrathin coating of holographic polymer switching fabric. With the megahertz speed of LEDs and time-multiplexing, the display will have grayscale capability with high dynamic range and dimming range. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed textile-mounted display approach by design and analysis, demonstration of component fabrication, and integration into a functional demonstration unit."
Standoff LIBS Element Detection Sensor,W911NF-06-C-0013,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,2,729983.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Russell Kurtz,Group Leader,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address Army's need to rapidly and autonomously detect and identify chemical and biological warfare (CBW) agents and improvised explosive device (IED) compounds from a 100 m standoff distance, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Standoff Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) Elemental Detection System (SLEDS). SLEDS is based on a compact, highly efficient, eye-safe excitation laser and beam delivery/collection optics with the capability of targeting and tracking the LIBS spark, a miniature 3x2x2-in., 200-1000 nm, 0.1 nm resolution multiplanar spectrometer, and smart control and robust chemical fingerprinting software resulting in a 3 cu. m, 10 kg, 10 W portable system suitable for installation on the Army's current mobile platforms as well as those to be part of the Future Combat System (FCS). This unique integrated SLEDS design will enable Army personnel to perform standoff detection and operation from mobile platforms. In Phase I, POC developed the system design, and demonstrated feasibility by assembling and testing a SLEDS prototype as a proof-of-concept. In Phase II, POC will construct and test an optimized, fully portable, and rugged SLEDS prototype that will be delivered to the U.S. Army for further testing."
Three-Dimensional Cockpit Display System for Improved Situational Awareness,NNL05AB02P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69997.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Ranjit Pradhan,Principal Investigator,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To improve aviation safety, NASA requires crew-centric technologies that ensure appropriate situational awareness through improved information presentation. Presenting information by 3D display can significantly facilitate human perception and counteract biases and error-tendencies, leading to improved aviation safety. To address this NASA need, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new 3D COckpit Display (3D-COD) system for aircraft flight decks, based on fast scanning liquid crystal (LC) optics, to create a compact multiuser, multiperspective 3D display system that has no moving parts and requires no 3D glasses. This interactive system brings automultiscopic viewing to pilots and crew members on the flight deck, with a greater than 60 degree FOV, 2048x2048 resolution, 60 Hz flicker-free full-color, high-brightness, and crosstalk-free operation, introducing 3D display technology to the cockpit. The use of LC technology well developed for flat-panel LC displays, reduces cost and makes the system commercially attractive. In Phase I POC will develop a scaled-down version of the fast-scanning LC optics display system and demonstrate its 3D operation on a laboratory 3D testbed system. This testbed will be upgraded to a fully packaged optimized prototype in Phase II."
Handheld Lobster Eye X-Ray Inspection Device,NBCHC050054,DHS,DHS,SBIR,2005,2,750000.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,,(310) 320-3088,gdrew@poc.com,Michael Gertsenshteyn,"Director, Photonic Technologies",(310) 320-3088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) boarding teams┬┐ need for a safe and noninvasive handheld inspection instrument that can accurately analyze and visualize materials aboard ships hidden from view behind walls, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a safe, compact, handheld Lobster Eye X-ray Inspection Device (LEXID) capable of through-the-wall real-time imaging of hidden objects. LEXID is based on POC┬┐s hard X-ray imaging technology, and will efficiently collect hard X-ray Compton backscattering photons from a hidden object irradiated by a full cone beam from a low-power X-ray source. The lightweight handheld LEXID can be used aboard small ships without danger to personnel, at an irradiation dose 30. POC`s LEXID technology will find many applications in noninvasive container inspection for security screening in airports and at marine terminals and border checkpoints, and for nondestructive evaluation of product quality by X-ray screening. LEXID will also have a variety of military applications, including through-wall observation of hidden compartments, and mine and bomb detection."
Multiple Target Laser Designator,N00014-05-C-0423,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,448625.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Albert Okorogu,Research Scientist,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"Physical Optics Corporation (POC) demonstrated a new Multiple Target Laser Designator (MTLD) concept that will enable U.S. Navy to accurately and simultaneously designate and track multiple threats in sea environments. MTLD is a novel laser designator that integrates a uniquely designed multifunctional holographic antenna that generates and collects multiple beams (> 5) of single or multiple wavelengths in the near-infrared band, and a liquid crystal scanner element (LCSE) that individually steers each of the generated beams, with a unique low-cost, nonimaging target-tracking subsystem based on holographic Bragg detuning. MTLD offers unique advantages over conventional designators including precise multiple target designation, provision for ship-motion and environmental effects, low-cost, lightweight, modular multibeam, design for simultaneous designation of multiple targets, high-performance holographic optics as a high-gain antenna as well as a filter for background noise mitigation. In Phase I, POC designed, analyzed, and fabricated a proof-of-concept system and demonstrated that MTLD has strong potential to meet U.S. Navy needs and to support many commercial applications. Phase II will further optimize the architecture and system components of the MTLD, resulting in a practical field-deployable, multiple target (more than five dynamic surface craft), coded laser designation system."
Fiber Optic Detachable Adjustable Power Meter,N00164-05-C-6092,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,2,599993.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Kang-Bin Chua,Research Scientist,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the Navy's need for a fiber optic power meter, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Fiber Optic detachable Adjustable power Meter (FOAM), based on a detachable optical probe and a compact wrist mountable meter. FOAM's "
Infrared Blood Detector,W81XWH-05-C-0055,DOD,OSD,SBIR,2005,2,749994.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Paul Shnitser,"Vice President, Photonic",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To accurately diagnose the severity of blast-induced lung injury on the battlefield, Physical Optics Corporation proposes to develop in Phase II a new and automatic Infrared Blood Detector (IBD) based on the principle of dual-wavelength, frequency-domain, multidistance, near infrared spectroscopy. The IBD will consist of an optimized emitting-receiving electronic board with multiple APD photodetector and transimpedance amplifiers, a signal processing board, a DSP chip, and a communication port as an IBD interface to LSTAT. IBD can enable medical attendants to routinely diagnose lung hemorrhage and measure oxygen saturation of arterial (SaO2) and venous (SvO2) blood. It can simultaneously detect lung edema. The IBD design is compatible with the life support for trauma and transport, and can be used noninvasively in medical trauma centers, ambulances, and rescue helicopters to rapidly assess patient status, even in remote battlefields locations. In the Phase II prototype, DSPs will control data acquisition, data processing, storage, and display. An animal model will be used to test IBD performance to detect lung hemorrhage, lung edema, and oxygen saturation of arterial and venous blood. The Phase II IBD prototype will be compact, user friendly, cost effective, and compatible with military life support and transportation equipment."
Selective Laser Ionization Process,N65538-05-M-0142,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,69989.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Russell Kurtz,"Group Leader, Electro-Optic Systems",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Navy need to extract sulfur contaminants in support of hydrogen separation from a logistics fuel reformate stream, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Selective Laser Ionization Process (SLIP) module that can be directly implemented in Navy fuel cell power generation plants. This module performs selective laser photoionization of the sulfur-containing gas species, followed by separation in an electric field. After the sulfur is removed, the rest of the hydrogen extraction process, which is quite straightforward, can be completed with existing, small, light, commercial off-the-shelf components. The SLIP module therefore significantly reduces energy consumption and system size, and does not require removal or replenishment of adsorbents. The SLIP module can be designed to match the sulfur content of NATO F-76 logistics fuel (up to 10,000 ppm), producing hydrogen with a purity level sufficient for fuel cells. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the SLIP module by assembling a proof-of-concept prototype and experimentally quantifying the key process parameters. In Phase II POC will build and operate an engineering prototype for 50 kWe-scale hydrogen separator to prove the potential for compactness, efficiency, and scalability to 500 kW level fuel cell power plants."
Stand-Off Portable Chemical Analyzer,N00164-05-C-6079,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,68313.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Jimmy Luo,Senior Research Scientist,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Navy need of a portable device for remote identification of unknown chemicals, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Stand-off Portable Chemical Analyzer (SOPCA). This device is based on differential tunable remote sensing Raman spectrometry, Raman holographic edge filters, and spectral adaptive light filtering with an acousto-optic tunable filter. It will perform safe, convenient, efficient, and near-real-time detection and analysis of suspect chemicals, including chemical warfare agents. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed SOPCA by performing a series of tests on common laboratory chemicals in the laboratory. In Phase I POC also will begin to identify sources of financial and other support for successful commercialization of products based on SOPCA technology in Phase III. In Phase II, POC plans to optimize the design and complete the development of a portable SOPCA for field testing. The Raman spectral database of materials of interest to the Navy will be assembled at the same time."
Broadband Multichannel Slipring,N65538-05-M-0157,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,69994.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Naibing Ma,"Team Leader, Optical Devices",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Navy need for a robust, reconfigurable, high-speed communication system to transfer data between remote sensors and inboard processing equipment aboard submarines, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Broadband Multichannel Slipring (BMCS). This proposed device is based on a Fiber Optic Rotary Joint (FORJ), time division multiplexing (TDM), wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), and roll-ring technologies. It will include a three-channel FORJ, a three-channel roll-ring electrical slipring, and a three-channel RF coupler. The BMCS will simultaneously transfer analog/digital, optical, and electrical signals/data at high speeds/data rates, it will be lightweight and compact, durable, reliable, and maintenance-free, with wide bandwidth, low loss, and high security. The novel BMCS is bidirectional and freely rotating. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of transmitting multiple data, audio/video, and sensing signals through a prototype BMCS at high speed between a stationary base and a rotary platform. In Phase II POC plans to fully develop a BMCS to replace current Navy copper-based rotary joints with sufficient capacity for future sensors."
Wireless Flight Data Download System,N68335-05-C-0246,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,149990.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Andrew Kostrzewski,"Director, Info. Technologies",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to design and develop the novel Wireless LINK (W-LINK) with all necessary interfaces between an aircraft and a ground station for data transfer from an aircraft immediately after a flight terminates. POC's proposed W-LINK system will integrate wireless communication hardware, software, and electronics, RF transceivers, high-speed data interfaces, and communication management software. We will design and evaluate all critical W-LINK components in the course of the six-month Phase I project, and combine them for a full-scale system demonstration by the end of Phase II. We anticipate a wireless transmission range between 1000 and 2000 ft., and a data rate of up to 400 Mbps for download of ~2 GB of flight data in "
Micro-Sized Smart Material Earphone Driver,FA8650-05-M-6571,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99989.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Keehoon Kim,Group Leader,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Air Force need for an advanced high output subminiature loudspeaker/earphone driver for use in active noise reduction (ANR) earplug systems, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new communication earplug driver for a side-impact-safe-bidirectional transmission earplug based on micro-sized smart material actuators (MSMA). The MSMA system will consist of a micro-size earplug (MEP) in a protective housing with easy connectivity to an external linear amplifier and an Air Force selected ANR controller to actuate the MEP. The MSMA will be designed to produce high-fidelity sound up to 140 dB within a 6 mm diameter by 7 mm long cylindrical volume. The MEP will have a safe, simple structure of just two simple non-protruding components -- an earplug housing and a smart material acoustic membrane embedded in the housing -- to generate counter-acoustic energy according to ANR control signals. In Phase I POC will develop a feasibility demonstration laboratory model MSMA system, including a system analysis of output, magnitude and phase of the frequency response, total delay, and size. In Phase II we will refine the MSMA design and then fabricate/test three prototype advanced high output subminiature earphone drives, and deliver ten units for testing."
"Physiological Signal Analyzer for Continuous Monitoring of Changes in Pulse Pressure, Heart Rate Variability, and Baroreflex Sensitivity",W81XWH-06-C-0039,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69986.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Naibing Ma,Team Leader,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To enhance the survivability of injured and wounded soldiers, the U.S. Army requires a portable, noninvasive device for continuous monitoring of changes in pulse pressure, heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity. Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Physiological Signal Analyzer (PSA) for continuous monitoring of Pulse Pressure Variation (PPV), Heart Rate Variability (HRV), and Baroreflex Sensitivity (BRS) to meet that need. Our PSA design is based on noninvasive electrocardiogram sensors and photoplethymograph, combined with wireless technology for real-time monitoring of patient status by acquiring, processing, recording, and analyzing data. With continuous real-time data provided by the PSA, the first responder will have an earlier indication of injury severity and patient status. In addition to use in prognosis and triage, the PSA generates an alarm signal if patient status begins to deteriorate and immediate life-saving intervention is necessary. Compact, lightweight, battery-powered, and easy to use, the PSA system is suitable for conditions from base hospital to remote battlefield. In Phase I POC will demonstrate PSA feasibility by developing a laboratory prototype. In Phase II POC plans to build a preproduction prototype and to test its performance in hospital trauma centers."
Phase Conjugate Micromotion Detection-Based Interferometric Vibrometer,FA9451-05-M-0194,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99995.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Russell Kurtz,"Group Leader, Electro-Optics Syst.",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"The U.S. Air Force is seeking a laser vibrometry system for monitoring the health of our satellites, and monitoring and recognizing foreign satellites. To address the Air Force need for a high-resolution, long-distance vibrometer, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Phase Conjugate Micromotion Detection (PCMD)-based Interferometric Vibrometer (PIV). The PIV consists of a laser to illuminate the target, a telescope to receive reflected light from the target, and a PCMD interferometer to measure vibrations. The return signal is Doppler-shifted due to satellite motion. This shift is amplified using PCMD technology, which reduces the required reflected signal by a factor of >1000. The PIV will measure vibrations with amplitudes as small as 5 nm and vibration velocities as low as 20 nm/s, exhibiting a sensitivity of a factor of 500 more than current systems, at a distance of >2000 km, which is an improvement of a factor of 8 over the state of the art. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of PIV through computer modeling and testing of a proof-of-principle prototype. In Phase II POC will develop an engineering prototype to measure vibration through testing at Air Force test sites."
Terahertz Spectroscopic Radar Mobile System for Detection of Concealed Explosives,W15P7T-06-C-M203,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69992.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Marvin G. Niimura,Research Scientist,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Army need for new techniques for detecting concealed explosives, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes a new 100 m standoff Terahertz Spectroscopic Radar (TSR) which uses terahertz (THz) molecular spectroscopy to detect the unique THz absorption wavelength signature of an explosive's outgassed material. This design exhibits the most decisive identification pattern of explosives, whose molecular vibration modes lie in the THz region. To detect these specific explosive identifiers, TSR's innovative design analyzes the retroreflected THz signals from targets rather than the transmitted THz signals common to the conventional spectroscopy performed inside a laboratory. The TSR design combines a wideband (1-20 THz) transmitter and a receiver spectrometer, built on a mobile station. Using a high-quality submillimeter wave radar to send high rep-rate (~100 MHz) THz probing pulses, we can identify not only the explosive but also the location of the target with spatial resolution better than 0.03 mm since our radar pulsewidth is faster than 100 femtosecond (fs). The average power of our source is exceptionally high (~100 W) compared with any other THz sources. In Phase I we will build a preliminary TSR prototype, while Phase II will focus on a full engineering prototype."
Flexible Liquid Crystal Eye Protection System,FA8650-05-M-6579,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99998.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Alexander Parfenov,"Director, Micro-Optic Technologies",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"The Air Force is seeking goggle for aircrew eye protection against high intensity, rapid-onset thermal flashes such as from nuclear blasts. Existing protective devices are heavy, bulky, and logistically unsupportable. To overcome these limitations, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Flexible LIquid crystal eye Protection (FLIP) system based on high speed electro-optical effects in liquid crystals (LC) on flexible substrates. Protective devices based on FLIP system technology will have a large dynamic range (switching transmission from 20% in the open state to an attenuation density of 3, a change of more than a thousand times, and a high switching speed (within 100 microseconds). It will be stable despite nearby radar radiation, and resistant to false alarms from natural events such as lightning and reflection of sunlight from clouds, sea surfaces, etc. In addition, it will be lightweight and compact, with a wide viewing angle, made possible by new liquid crystal technology and commercial display development. Phase I will culminate in proof of the feasibility of the proposed design by experimentally building a working model and testing it. In Phase II a FLIP system will be developed for testing at an Air Force site."
3D Multi-Channel Networked Visualization System for National LambdaRail,NNG05CA69C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69990.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Andrew Kostrzewski,Principal Investigator,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"National LambdaRail (NLR) offers unprecedented communication capabilities on the National and possibly International levels. Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new 3D multichannel networked (3DMCN) system for visualizing large collections of Earth science data in a highly distributed and networked environment, compatible with the high speed National LambdaRail (NLR), with the necessary interfaces and video processing hardware/software. One of the critical issues in the development of such systems is the capability to transmit high-resolution (High Definition format) multi-channel images/video from a central rendering/processing location to multiple visualization stations, which can be thousands of miles apart. To address 3D video/telepresence on the NLR POC will develop special compression software for multi-channel transmission, removing both intra- and inter-channel redundancy. At the end of Phase I POC will demonstrate 3D video transmission over multi-Gigabit Ethernet channels in a laboratory environment. In Phase II a full system with multiple visualization stations connected to the NLR will be developed, including network interfaces, video compression, and 3D video stations."
Advanced Radiation Detector,HDTRA1-05-P-0131,DOD,DTRA,SBIR,2005,1,99999.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Michael Gertsenshteyn,"Director, Photonic Technologies",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the DTRA need to prevent terrorist nuclear attacks by early identification of radiological dispersal devices (RDD) and improvised nuclear devices (IND), Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new low-cost large area Advanced Radiation Detector (ARAD), highly sensitive to gamma and X-rays with energies up to 1 MeV. The ARAD is based on NaI(Tl) scintillator and large arrays of high-aspect-ratio microchannels in silicon wafers. The ARAD will have high sensitivity, high resolution, high SNR, and CCD readout. The ARAD design will be compatible with existing semiconductor production process, significantly reducing the cost of NaI(Tl) detectors to $5 per 2 in. square detector, unlike current detectors that cost $350. In Phase I we will design, fabricate, and test an ARAD prototype for hard X-ray energies up to 90 keV. In Phase II POC will demonstrate a working ARAD engineering prototype operating in the range up to 1 MeV with the CCD readout. The low-cost ARAD will find immediate application by DTRA to equip large numbers of personnel and outfit points of entry with nuclear and radiological detection systems for identification of RDDs and INDs."
Electronically Tunable Fabry-Perot Filter,W9113M-05-C-0083,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,99993.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Kevin Yu,Director,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the Missile Defense Agency need for an infrared tunable spectral filter for Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) mid-course discrimination by detecting infrared signatures and measuring the temperature of remote objects within a threat cloud, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Electronically Tunable Fabry-Perot (ET-FAP) filter for an infrared multispectral imager based on phase-matched Fabry-Perot plates and a liquid crystal filter cavity tuning element. The proposed ET-FAP filter is based on a proprietary low-cost process of fabricating phase-matched Fabry-Perot mirrors that allows the device to be monolithic and the filter substrate large and thin. The ET-FAP tuning speed will be in the kilohertz range, with more than 50% filter transmission of both polarization components in the LWIR (7-14 micron) region. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the infrared multispectral imager with the ET-FAP filter through initial design studies, computer modeling, and experimental fabrication of a demonstration filter module. We will also demonstrate the proposed ET-FAP filter performance improvements over state-of-the-art filter technologies. In Phase II POC will develop a fully operational ET-FAP filter system and demonstrate its flightreadiness."
Dielectrophoretic Raman Scattering Biosensor,W81XWH-06-C-0031,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69987.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Gregory Zeltser,Group Leader,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Army need for a diagnostic system capable of simultaneously detecting and identifying up to 100 militarily relevant pathogens/targets, including viruses, bacteria, protozoan parasites, and rickettsia, in a single process from human blood or serum samples, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop an innovative label-free and reagent-free Dielectrophoretic Raman Scattering Biosensor (DIRASBI) system. This concept is based on the integration of dielectrophoresis and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to separate, detect, and identify the SERS fingerprint of each pathogen. The reliable, single-path, DIRASBI system will return results in ~20 minutes. Clinicians can use these results to diagnose infectious agents causing human disease. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of DIRASBI by fabricating the prototype and demonstrating its capability to detect 11 pathogens selected and provided by Walter Reed Army Institute of Research with sensitivity and specificity of >95%. In Phase II POC will optimize the DIRASBI design and performance, and demonstrate its capability to simultaneously detect and identify up to 100 pathogens/targets in a whole blood sample in a single tube. Sensitivity and specificity of the assay are expected to be >98% for a panel of 500 blind samples containing known pathogens."
Focusing X-ray Inspection System,W909MY-06-C-0007,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69994.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Michael Gertsenshteyn,Director,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To meet the U.S. Army need for a device to confirm the presence of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Focusing X-ray Inspection (FOCXI) system based on POC's X-ray focusing optics, two COTS X-ray generators and an image processing module. FOCXI can focus below ground or behind walls and combine 2D images into a 3D image to discriminate IEDs from similar objects/cluttered background in real time. The proposed FOCXI system images IEDs and other hidden objects by means of Compton backscattering, operating in the X-ray energy range from 60 to 120 keV. The FOCXI system will have high resolution and a high signal-to-noise ratio because of its true focusing capabilities and its two X-ray sources. In Phase I POC will assemble a proof-of-concept prototype FOCXI system from X-ray focusing optics available at POC plus commercial off-the-shelf parts. In Phase II a preproduction FOCXI system will be fabricated and tested."
Silicon Digital Propulsion System,NNC05CA52C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69987.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Business Official,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Michael Gertsenshteyn,Principal Investigator,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the NASA need for innovative, advanced, high-precision micropropulsion technologies to increase the operational capabilities and reduce the cost of Earth Science under-10-kg spacecraft for long-life missions, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Silicon Digital Propulsion (SIDIP) system. SIDIP will be inexpensive and power efficient, with minimal mass, and will deliver digitally controlled, high-precision attitude control and in-space maneuvering through micropulses of regulated duration and frequency. The SIDIP system is based on two key innovations: development of a novel, MEMS-based periodic structure of subminiature microthrusters; and unique implementation of the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology that POC has developed for processing Si wafers for precise micromachining of the hundreds (or more) of subminiature field emission electric microthrusters on a 1 in. x 1 in. Si microthruster plate (MTP). SIDIP will remarkably increase the precision of in-space maneuvering, and improve attitude and orbit control. NASA Earth Science missions will benefit from SIDIP, especially for miniatusre satellites in a cluster or constellation. In Phase I POC will optimize the SIDIP system geometry, develop technology for micromachining silicon MTPs, and demonstrate technologies for fabricating pyrimids and oxidizing matrix channels. In Phase II POC will demonstrate an engineering prototype SIDIP."
Smart Hyperspectral Imaging Laser Scalpel,W31P4Q-06-C-0012,DOD,DARPA,SBIR,2005,1,98991.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Naresh Menon,Group Leader,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the need for a smart scalpel that extends the surgeon's natural human capabilities, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Smart Hyperspectral Imaging Laser Scalpel (SHILS) system based on a lightweight smart scalpel, a multiwavelength laser delivery subsystem, and a hyperspectral imaging subsystem with smart real-time feedback control. This system delivers a laser pulse with tissue-optimized wavelength, power, and pulse duration that prevent unintended tissue damage. In combination with the hyperspectral imaging system with 0.5 nm spectral and 10 micron spatial resolution, the device has micrometer-level surgical accuracy with software with real-time tissue diagnostic algorithms. These functionalities will extend the use of a surgical scalpel beyond what is possible with a standard instrument to reduce surgical errors, improve recovery time, and reduce cost. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the SHILS system by prototyping the hardware subsystems and demonstrating their performance in a laboratory setting. In Phase II POC plans to build a fully functional prototype with real-time feedback control that will demonstrate capability to remove tissue while identifying the tissue."
Earth Virtual-Environment Immersive Scene Display System,NNJ05JB77C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69996.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Tin M. Aye,Principal Investigator,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"In response to the NASA need for a free-standing immersive virtual scene display system interfaced with an exercise treadmill to mimic terrestrial exercise experience in space, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Earth Virtual-environment Immersive Scene (EVIS) display system based on omnidirectional image projection and a wraparound multiplexed holographic collimating projection screen. A single unique, high-resolution omnidirectional wraparound image projector projects continuous wraparound imagery onto thin, curved, three-color-(RGB)-multiplexed holographic optics, which collimate the projected light into a virtual image. EVIS will thus display a greater than 180 degree (up to full 360 degree) free-standing FOV of flowing virtual earth scene to a crew member on a treadmill. Without multiple projectors, bulky optics, or a tiled screen, EVIS will be compact, lightweight, and power-efficient. It is producible at low cost by integrating commercially available microdisplays for the omnidirectional projector and by mass producing the multiplexed holographic collimating screen by means of established POC technologies. In Phase I POC will design in detail an EVIS display system for a treadmill, and fabricate a proof-of-concept model to demonstrate feasibility. Phase II will focus on optimizing both the material technology and components so that a fully operational prototype is completed."
Stereo Multispectral Image Analyst Assistance,N68335-05-C-0229,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2005,1,79998.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Sergey Sandormirsky,"Director, Remote Sensing",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the Navy need for visualization techniques to assist image analysts in screening and exploring multispectral and hyperspectral imaging data acquired from airborne platforms, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop new Stereo Multispectral Image Analyst Assistance (SMIAA). This proposed system for man-in-the-loop interactive visual analysis of multispectral and hyperspectral aerial imagery is based on parallel analysis of spatially overlapped (stereo pairs) multispectral images in geographical space and feature space. The SMIAA will, for the first time, offer an image analyst a new, convenient interactive tool for target selection and classification as well as feature extraction through a stereo-multispectral representation of objects of interest. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of SMIAA by detecting a target in simulated multi/hyperspectral imaging data with a prototype unit and will compare the results with spectrally matched filtering. In Phase II a fully developed SMIAA software plug-in utility will be completed and tested on real objects, with emphasis on task-oriented applications. POC will also explore opportunities for SMIAA implementation on a POC 3D display."
Parallel Reconfigured Line Image Scanning Miniature Super-High-Resolution Light Engine,FA8650-05-M-6614,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99998.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Tin Aye,"VP, Electro-Optics & Holography",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Air Force need for an innovative core image source technology for high performance helmet mounted displays, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposed to develop a novel full color super high resolution high luminance miniature head mounted display (HMD) based on line image scanning of laser illumination, a high speed liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCOS) display, holographic optics, and a simple one-dimensional scanner. The proposed approach offers superior resolution (5k x 4k pixels) from a relatively low resolution LCOS, taking advantage of its high refresh speed and only using relatively slow line image scanning. The proposed technology is made commercially attractive by its unique integration of available commercial components and low cost fabrication techniques. The effort will focus on developing a compact Parallel Reconfigured Line Image Scanning Miniature (PRISM) display demonstration unit in which commercially available LCOS microdisplays will be integrated with compact laser diodes and POC's 2D-image-to-1D-line-image transforming optical element to generate color sequential full resolution images for current U.S. Air Force HMDs. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach through computer design, performance analysis, and an experimental proof-of-concept demonstration, so that in Phase II we can build a brassboard prototype HMD miniature display."
Nano-Structured Carbon Monoxide Detector for Aerospace Applications,FA8650-05-M-6563,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,98792.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Jimmy Luo,Senior Research Scientist,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the Air Force need to detect carbon monoxide (CO) levels on military airlift aircraft and warn aircrew members once CO levels rise beyond a safety limit, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new and reliable Aero CO Detector (ACOD) based on a microcontroller and solid-state nanotechnology. Use of a nanostructured metal oxide semiconductor sensor and a microcontroller for signal processing make the ACOD light and compact. ACOD will accurately and reliably display real-time readings of CO concentration in parts per million (ppm) by volume, and emit distinctive visual and audible warnings when a CO level above the 35 ppm warning threshold is detected, as well as a further alert when CO level rises above the 200 ppm danger level. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of ACOD by designing and developing a prototype ACOD, and testing it. In Phase II POC plans to optimize the ACOD design, and ACOD performance, and to consolidate the ACOD structure to increase sensitivity, stability, reliability, and durability even under extreme environmental conditions such as those in an airlift aircraft cabin during aircraft normal and emergency operations."
Micro-HemoDynamic Oximeter,1R43HL077021-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,99994.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,,3103203088,GDREW@POC.COM,Gregory Zeltser,,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There is a pressing need for a noninvasive device that can measure arterial and venous blood oxygen saturation to assess tissue oxygenation. No existing device can noninvasively measure the difference in oxygen saturation and flow rate of venous and arterial blood for early detection of diabetic microangiopathy; evaluating tissue oxygen supply would also allow detection and monitoring of vascular diseases. To overcome the major drawbacks of current techniques for evaluating cutaneous microcirculation, and to accurately evaluate actual skin oxygenation in patients with diabetes mellitus, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a novel Micro-HemoDynamic Oximeter (MHDO) to measure oxygen saturation in both venous and arterial blood and blood flow, based on a combination of reflectance oximetry and laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). The instrument will modulate light illumination to measure hemoglobin oxygen saturations at multiple depths of penetration into the skin. In Phase I, POC will test the prototype MHDO on a skin phantom and demonstrate its performance on an animal model. After evaluating the test results, POC will optimize the MHDO design in preparation for developing a Phase II working prototype for clinical trials on patients who might have diabetic microangiopathy."
Integrated Intelligent Decision and Information System,FA8750-05-C-0175,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99986.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Brian Xu,Research Scientist,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Integrated Intelligent Decision and Information (IIDI) system integrating grid fuzzy evolutionary algorithms (GFEAs), grid fuzzy neural networks (GFNNs), fuzzy expert systems (FESs), real-time expert systems (RTESs), and relational database management systems (RDBMSs) for the NORAD/USSPACECOM Warfighting Support System (N/UWSS). In the IIDI system, GFEAs will search for optimal solutions to such N/UWSS tasks as scheduling and planning. Each GFEA will work with each subsystem in command and control (C2) systems to accomplish the required tasks. GFNNs will monitor C2 data and mission-critical operations of the sensor networks, identify anomalous behavior, and detect potential external attacks by learning from successful past examples. RTESs will encode and reuse the well-formed knowledge from the C2 systems experts to make decisions in real time. RDBMSs will collect and manage all N/UWSS related data, and communicate with C2 systems, and with other current and legacy systems. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the IIDI system for N/UWSS to improve data access, integration, storage, control, and decision making for space-based sensors across C2 systems. In Phase II we will develop an IIDI system prototype that can be directly integrated with current and future C2 systems."
Short Pulse Holographic Interferometric Reconstruction Three-Dimensional Flow Field Sensor,FA8650-05-M-3549,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99986.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Tin Aye,"VP, Electro-Optics & Holography",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Air Force need for new diagnostic technique for high speed flows, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Short Pulse Holographic Interferometric Reconstruction (SPHIRE) three-dimensional sensor based on short pulse light-in-flight holographic recording of the temporal sequence of a flow field. The proposed sensor will overcome the limitations of current point sensors for 3D flow field measurement, because SPHIRE is a full-field 3D optical sensor with light-speed holographic recording of an event in thousands of temporal sequence images. From these images, a highly sensitive holographic interferometric analysis can determine the temporal and 3D spatial distribution of pressure/velocity of the high speed flow field. The holographic image recording will be in real time on an erasable holographic thermoplastic thin-film recording medium in a ruggedized camera system, possibly with a fiber optic light guide and compact optics. In Phase I POC will design a SPHIRE sensor system, analyze its performance, and demonstrate the proof-of-concept by laboratory experiments. In Phase II POC will fabricate a SPHIRE system and integrate it with data collection and 3D reconstruction software. POC will demonstrate a SPHIRE prototype at an Air Force test tunnel."
High Repetition Rate Cavity-Dumped Unified Laser Expandable System,W15QKN-05-C-1202,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,69998.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Russell Kurtz,Team Leader,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Army need for a high peak power directed energy weapon (DEW) system with adjustable PRF and variable burst mode, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new High Repetition Rate Cavity-Dumped Unified Laser Expandable System (HERCULES), a high peak power DEW with significant advantages over current systems. This proposed system is based on variable-rate cavity-dumping by new nonlinear materials that exceed the capabilities of current systems. The HERCULES will generate high peak power pulses with a PRF variable from 200 kHz while keeping the energy per pulse approximately the same regardless of time between pulses, pulses per burst, or burst rate. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of HERCULES by computer modeling and a subscale demonstration prototype. In Phase II POC plans to develop a prototype that can be adapted to current Army man-portable laser systems, and will demonstrate variable PRF up to ~100 kHz without significant drop in energy per pulse."
Real-Time Stereoscopic Catadioptric Omni-Detection System,W15QKN-05-C-1214,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119984.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Andrew Kostrzewski,"Vice President, Info. Technologies",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Army need for an omnidirectional weapons detection system, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Real-time Stereoscopic Catadioptric Omni-detection (RESCO) system based on omnidirectional optical sensors, acoustic sensors, and compact, high-performance real-time processing hardware for motion stabilized target detection and locating. RESCO motion stabilization will exploit the spatial and temporal/motion information inherent in video data to significantly increase detection rates and decrease false alarms. The stereoscopic omnidirectional video system will detect and locate a threat with ultrawide field-of-view at >150 fps with ultrahigh resolution. Its visual and infrared imaging sensors will enable it to operate day/night, while acoustic sensors incorporated into the omnidirectional video system will enhance location precision with real-time sensor fusion. The data processing will be done in dedicated hardware with a high-performance data processing engine. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of RESCO by demonstrating the high-resolution omnidirectional video system with detection and locating capability as a proof-of-concept system. In Phase II POC plans to build a fully functional real-time omnidirectional weapons detection and location system, and to perform field testing with moving vehicles in an urban area."
Tracking Adaptive-Optics Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope,1R43EY015934-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,123445.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,,3103203088,GDREW@POC.COM,Alexander Parfenov,,3103203088,SUTAMA@POC.COM,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to design, develop, and test a new Tracking Adaptive-Optics Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (TASLO) for studying age-related macular degeneration, mapping macular pigment and photopigment distribution, and quantifying retinal and subretinal structures. Most state-of-the-art ophthalmoscopes use laser-scanning mechanism to investigate retinal and subretinal layers; unfortunately, eye aberrations and eye movements during measurements significantly diminish the reliability of their results. The new TASLO design combines eye tracking and adaptive compensations - this combination is the major innovation in POC""s proposed TASLO device. The TASLO adaptive optics compensate for eye aberrations, and its new image eye-tracking correlation makes ophthalmoscope scanning less sensitive to eye movement during measurements. In addition, this combination makes the TASLO scope more rugged, and thus a more reliable scanning device. This new device can double or triple the resolution of scanning ophthalmoscopes, bringing transverse resolution to 2 microns and axial resolution to 30 microns.
The TASLO device can contribute to early diagnosis of macular degeneration and other degenerative vascular diseases of the retina and choroids, which is crucial to prevention of blindness and for eye health care in general. In Phase I POC proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of the system by computer simulation and modeling, and by proof-of-concept experiment. In Phase II, POC will fabricate a compact, easy-to-use, and commercially viable prototype that will be tested in a clinical environment."
Self-Powered Incapacitator,W15QKN-05-C-1216,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119986.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Michael Reznikov,"Group Leader, Sensor Systems",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"U.S. Army needs a projectile technology that deliver electrical energy to the target for quick, nonlethal, incapacitation at distances from 6 to 80 m. Such a device should be self-contained and not tethered to a conventional launching platform such as a 40 mm M203 grenade launcher or a 12 gauge shotgun. To address this need, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a novel Self-Powered Incapacitator (SPI) that is a compact electrostatic pulse generator triggered and powered by the initial acceleration of the projectile. It will generate and deliver electric energy from 5 J (in the 12 gauge modified Rubber Rocket) to 50 J (in the 40 mm grenade) with an initial electric current of 15 A and a discharge time of about 2 microseconds that instantly and non-lethally incapacitates the target. The capability of the device to generate an electric charge is enhanced by POC's proprietary polymer embossing technology. The SPI will be charged when it is fabricated, and will retain this electric charge over decades. The electric energy delivered does not depend on the distance to the target."
Adaptive Artifact-Decoupling Error Corrective Reconstruction,FA9300-05-M-3005,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99994.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Keehoon Kim,Group Leader,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To meet the Air Force need for noiseless, artifact-free X-ray computed tomography (CT) to evaluate the integrity of large solid rocket motors, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new artifact reduction CT technology based on Adaptive Artifact-Decoupling Error Corrective Reconstruction (AADECR). POC's AADECR adaptive reconstruction algorithm, designed for existing CT data from an ICT 1500/2500 system, includes a new distinct image analysis that separates pure image content from artifacts to eliminate CT artifacts quantitatively. The AADECR system will generalize an artifact-generation mechanism inherently embedded in conventional projection/reconstruction processes in a CT system, and then quantitatively compensate for reconstruction errors in images to eliminate artifacts induced by reconstruction calculations. AADECR will give better accuracy in a fraction of the time required by conventional high-cost computation methods. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the AADECR system, and test it on real or realistic data. In Phase II the algorithms developed in Phase I will be optimized for implementation on standalone hardware platforms capable of interfacing to CT systems installed at Hill AFB."
Standoff LIBS Element Detection Sensor,W911NF-05-C-0032,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119993.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Russell Kurtz,Team Leader,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is becoming the method of choice for detection of chemical and biological agents, but has yet to make the transition from a laboratory tool to a UGV-mountable system. Therefore, to address the Army need for a portable, UGV-mountable integrated LIBS sensor with 100 m standoff capability, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new standoff LIBS Element Detection Sensor (SLEDS) system. This system is based on a combination of an innovative short-pulse laser system, advanced nonimaging collection optics, and a modification of the unique POC MIMS spectral analysis system. The SLEDS will feature high resolution in multiple simultaneous bands selected by the design, enabling it to rapidly and accurately detect and classify chemicals in the field. The SLEDS system will be rugged, compact lightweight, energy-efficient, and affordable. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of SLEDS by a combination of computer analysis and a proof-of-concept prototype. In Phase II POC plans to optimize the SLEDS for the specific needs of the U.S. Army, including fabrication of an engineering test prototype for delivery to the Army Research Laboratory."
Scanning Second-Order Holographic Laser Acoustic System,W15QKN-05-C-1201,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119984.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Albert Okorogu,Research Scientist,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the U.S. Army's need for a self-aiming laser acoustic target designator/classifier, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Second-order Scanning Holographic Laser Acoustic (SOHLA) system. SOHLA will be based on integration of uniquely designed aberration-corrected, high-efficiency, scanning single- or multibeam holographic telescopic optics (antenna) with unique laser acoustic sensing, second-order holographic interferometry (photorefractive crystal) and a tracking subsystem to place a laser-lock on a target. Second order holography has the unique advantages of real-time monitoring and the self-referencing effect of photorefractive nonlinear crystals or polymers, remarkably reducing the coherence and stability requirements of vibrometry and holographic systems. Thus, the resulting sensor is totally immune to vibration and environmental variations of the medium, and adaptable to changes in beam direction. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of SOHLA laser scanning classification/tracking by fabricating a single laser scanning telescopic system for operation at a wavelength of 785 nm, integrated with a laser acoustic holographic sensing system and array of directional microphones. Phase II will produce a practical, field-deployable, self-aiming laser acoustic target designator with a fully developed target classification database."
Battlefield Laser Detection Sensor,FA8650-05-M-1869,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99986.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Fedor Dimov,"Group Leader, Holographic Systems",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the Air Force need for next-generation miniature battlefield laser detectors, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Battlefield Laser Detection (BLaD) sensor based on a nano-structured two-dimensional array of multiplexed angle- and wavelength-selective holographic optical elements fabricated on a thin DuPont photopolymer film and laminated on top of a two-dimensional array of photodetectors, which is a commercial off-the-shelf part. Only one of the 7776 multiplexed holograms responds to the particular laser wavelength coming from particular direction by creating a unique interference pattern, and these interference patterns will be processed by the electronic signal processors and OEM onboard computer in real time. This device will cover all existing battlefield lasers in the range from UV to IR. The BLaD sensor has a wide FOV and high angular resolution in a lightweight module the size of a credit card. It detects the laser beam direction, wavelength, and power by electronic signal processing that overcomes the limitations of existing battlefield laser detection systems. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the BLaD sensor prototype. In Phase II POC plans to develop an engineering prototype of the laser sensor, and test it under appropriate operating conditions."
Spectral Spatio-Temporal Image Fusion,FA8718-05-C-0064,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99993.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Sergey Sandomirsky,"Director, Remote Sensing",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the Air Force need for novel algorithms for fast measurement of hyperspectral imagery of transient events, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Spectral Spatio-Temporal Image Fusion system, integrating innovative spatiotemporal helix algorithms and hyperspectral imagery filtering. The SSTIF system will identify and classify transient events with lifetimes ranging from fractions of a second to minutes by constructing spatiotemporal helixes, using sequences of spectrally filtered images. The SSTIF system will classify events much faster than artificial neural networks or clustering algorithms. In Phase I POC will develop a MATLAB prototype SSTIF system and demonstrate its feasibility with hyperspectral imagery from the IRIA infrared imagery collection. In Phase II a fully developed software utility compatible with COTS image analysis software packages will be completed, tested, and demonstrated."
High Speed Agile Optics Detection and Tracking System,FA9200-05-C-0183,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99990.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Ilya Agurok,"Director, Optical Instrumentation",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new High Speed Agile Optics Detection and Tracking System (HISAOD) based on an enhanced-gain omnidirectional agile lens (OAL), a Processing and Ultra Memory Access (PUMA) board, and image flow analysis (IFA) software. It continuously watches the omnidirectional field surrounding a ground vehicle, feeding information to the HISAOD controller. With enhanced gain, the OAL image is 20 times brighter than that in a conventional lens. This high image brightness ensures instant, reliable small objects detection. When a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) boost cloud or gun muzzle flash is detected, the wavefront corrector compensates local aberrations and forms a sharp image for bearing determination and tracking. The HISAOD mimics foveal eye vision automatically detects the target in 0.015 s, and tracks at 100 Hz. For counter-sniper use, HISAOD will perform only detection; tracking will be by a staring MWIR lens. In Phase I POC will design and develop an OAL and wavefront corrector and integrate these into the HISAOD to demonstrate feasibility. In Phase II a full-scale HISAOD prototype, including a lens redesigned based on Phase I experience, custom electronics, software, display, and operator interface will be developed and tested."
Adaptive Sensor Tasking for Missile Defense,FA8718-05-C-0040,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,99992.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Wenjian Wang,Group Leader,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the Air Force need for adaptive tasking of RF and EO sensors based on background clutter and signal detection limitations, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Controllable Robust Integrated Management Sensing Optimal Network (CRIMSON) system. CRIMSON is based on constrained optimization, dynamic resource/QoS performance management, and a controllable Petri net. The CRIMSON system will dynamically allocate resources to multiple networked sensors, with self-configuration to optimize performance of target sensing, detection, recognition, and tracking for missile defense. The CRIMSON system can configure itself and the onboard sensor assets to optimal operational status for available power, sensors, environments, mission objectives, and targets of interest. Even when faced with threats and environments outside the design optimization space, the CRIMSON system can ensure functionality (surveillance, detection, tracking, and discrimination) of the sensor platform. In Phase I POC will design the CRIMSON system, analyze its theoretical performance limits, and demonstrate its feasibility by simulation. In Phase II POC will optimize the CRIMSON system architecture and adapt it to an ACTD program such as the Multi-sensor Aerospace-Ground Joint ISR Interoperability Coalition (MAJIIC), demonstrating its strategic advantages for adaptive tasking."
Miniature Capnometer,1R43HL075938-01A2,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2005,1,113339.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,,3103203088,GDREW@POC.COM,Gregory Zeltser,,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Capnometry - carbon dioxide monitoring - is widely used in both hospital and pre-hospital settings. Two types of infrared monitors, mainstream and side stream, are available. Both have multiple drawbacks, including addition of a dead space, slow system response, and erroneous readings caused by the presence of nitrous oxide and oxygen, as well as varying barometric pressure. Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Miniature Capnometer (MIC) to overcome the major shortcomings of the existing carbon dioxide monitors. MIC will be a miniature (2 mm in diameter), robust, and sensitive carbon dioxide monitor that fits easily into the endotracheal tube or into a sampling line of non-intubated patients. The device will be immune to interference from other gases exhaled by the patient, and to atmospheric pressure. POC's proposed MIC will have significantly high CC>2 sensitivity, resolution, and accuracy of monitoring. In addition, MIC will have one order of magnitude more selectivity and four to five times better response time than the state of the art devices. Phase I will culminate in a full proof-of-concept demonstration with an anesthesia system and an anesthesia mannequin."
Wound Curing Dressing,W81XWH-06-C-0041,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,70494.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Gregory Zeltser,Group Leader,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the Army need for a dressing that combines the features of several commercial products designed to treat burns, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Wound Curing Dressing (WCD) that will contain embedded growth factors, microbicidal agents, antiproteinases, and nutrients; be capable of absorbing wound exudates; be able to remain in place for up to 7 days; and have a shelf life of 2 years at temperatures ranging from -30 to 150 degrees F. This proposed dressing combines lyophilized platelets with nanocrystalline silver. The WCD will improve treatment, with better cosmetic and functional outcome for the patient and a speedier return to duty. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the WCD by fabricating the prototype and testing its biostimulating and microbiocidal effects in vitro. In Phase II POC plans to develop and demonstrate the efficacy of a prototype wound dressing and conduct in-depth testing in an appropriate animal wound healing model, comparing the prototype dressing with a standard moisture-retentive dressing."
Membrane Interferometric Carbon Dioxide Sensor,NNJ05JB98C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2005,1,69987.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Sergey Sandomirsky,Principal Investigator,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the NASA need for extravehicular mobility units (EMUs) with enhanced mobility, dexterity, lifetime, maintainability, and reliability for the International Space Station and for future missions to the Moon and Mars, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Membrane Interferometric Carbon Dioxide Sensor (MICADS). This sensor integrates a fiber optic interferometer, sensitive to displacements of a small fraction of a wavelength, and a semipermeable membrane to selectively detect, identify, and quantify gases at concentrations at the parts per million (ppm) level. The MICADS will measure carbon dioxide level by means of a selectively permeable membrane, which induces small displacements in a diaphragm that can be measured by the interferometer. POC's light, compact, and reliable MICADS sensor will monitor and control the air processing to remove carbon dioxide from EMUs. It will not consume oxygen, and will produce only minimal heat. In Phase I, POC will develop and demonstrate the performance of the proof-of-concept MICADS. In Phase II, a prototype will be developed and submitted to NASA for testing."
A Portable System for Visible Light Curing of Anticorrosion Coatings,N00167-05-C-0014,DOD,OSD,SBIR,2005,1,99996.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Jimmy Luo,Senior Research Scientist,3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address OSD interest in a safe and portable visible light cure (VLC) system to cure anticorrosion VLC coatings, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new portable visible-light-cure (PVLC) system, based on high-efficiency spectral matching of commercially available high-power, narrowband light emitting diodes (LEDs), the peak-emission wavelength of which matches the maximum absorption of coating formulations, with the whole emission bandwidth within the coating's strong absorption (average 90%) range. Because it is based on low-self-heating and energy-saving LEDs, this system is compatible with plastic collimating optics and simple battery-powered, electronics/circuits with low voltage and power consumption. Maximum illumination uniformity will be ensured by POC's patented holographic Light Shaping Diffusers. The final PVLC system prototype, packaged as a backpack and a wired handheld unit, will be lightweight, compact, and rigid. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of fast, convenient, efficient, and safe curing of VLC rust-resistant coatings by a preliminary prototype PVLC system. In Phase II, POC plans to optimize the PVLC technology and produce a fieldable system. We will also conduct a full series of laboratory tests to demonstrate required cure/performance of the VLC formulations in actual applications."
Infrared Blood Detector,W81XWH-05-C-0055,DOD,OSD,SBIR,2005,1,99987.00,Physical Optics Corporation,1845 West 205th Street,,Torrance,CA,90501-1510,Yes,No,No,Gordon Drew,Chief Financial Officer,3103203088,gdrew@poc.com,Paul Shnitser,"Vice President, Photonic Systems",3103203088,sutama@poc.com,"To address the need of the U.S. military for a compact, field-deployable device for fast evaluation of the severity of blast-induced lung injury, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop the new Infrared Blood Detector (IBD) based on frequency domain infrared spectroscopy. It measures phases and amplitudes of photon density waves reflected from the lung boundary. This handheld, battery-powered device will detect hemorrhaging and estimate the severity of bleeding by comparing the amplitudes of photon density waves at several points on the patient's right and left sides. The IBD will also quantitate blood oxygenation in the breast muscles to estimate lung respiratory function. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the IBD design, and will validate IBD suitability for evaluation of lung injury on a specially developed phantom model. In Phase II POC will develop an IBD prototype for use in an ambulatory patient care environment and to evaluate its utility and accuracy in one or more animal models."
Dual Liquid Crystal Flat Panel Display,W31P4Q-05-C-R117,DOD,DARPA,SBIR,2005,2,824478.00,Polaris Sensor Technologies Inc.,200 Westside Square,suite 320,Huntsville,AL,35801-4875,Yes,No,No,David Chenault,President,2568246548,david@polarissensor.com,Larry Pezzaniti,Senior Optical Engineer,2568242129,larry@polarissensor.com,"There are a growing number of scenarios where remote equipment and vehicles must be operated in environments unsafe for human presence. Ideally the remote vision system should mimic physical presence as much as possible. Steadily, the demand for stereoscopic (3D) viewing increases, in order to preserve depth of field information, and to `immerse' the operator as much as possible in the scenario. In Phase II several 3D displays, based on Phase I designs, will be produced. The 3D display uses two liquid crystal display (LCD) panels stacked on top of one another. On the first panel two stereo images are superposed. The second panel encodes the two images in polarization. Finally the viewer's polarized glasses decode the images to produce a stereoscopic view. The 3D displays constructed in Phase II will be fully integrated. A small custom electronics and image processing board will be developed in Phase II to take 2 video inputs and convert them to the drive signals for the two LCD panels. All the components for the 3D display will be integrated into a single attractive and rugged housing that accepts two video inputs and is driven with a 12 or 24 V power source."
Polarimetric Sensors for Robotic Vehicle Perception,W56HZV-05-C-0094,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119522.00,Polaris Sensor Technologies Inc.,200 Westside Square,suite 320,Huntsville,AL,35801-4875,Yes,No,No,Michele Banish,COO,2568246547,michele@polarissensor.com,David Chenault,President,2568246548,david@polarissensor.com,"Polarization imaging holds promise for providing significant improvements in contrast in a number of target detection and discrimination applications. In several recent development efforts, it has been demonstrated that manmade objects have a significantly stronger polarization signal than natural backgrounds resulting in good contrast that complements the conventionally imaged infrared signature. Other recent research has suggested that polarization sensing may increase detection range through optically dense media such as fog or aerosol laden atmosphere. However, these experimental systems frequently require long data acquisition times, which results in artifacts in the polarization imagery due to platform or target motion. Additionally, calibration and investigation of systematic errors in these systems is difficult and robust calibration procedures have not been fully demonstrated. Polaris Sensor Technologies, Inc is proposing to develop an LWIR imaging polarimeter that captures a complete Stokes vector in a single image. The approach chosen utilizes birefringent polarization components in a unique configuration that eliminates polarization artifacts due to target or platform motion. In Phase I, a prototype instrument will be designed complete with component specifications, schematics, data reduction and calibration algorithms. A thorough performance analysis of the design will also be performed."
"Low-Cost, Large-Area Conformal Detector Arrays",W31P4Q-05-C-R085,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119920.00,Polaris Sensor Technologies Inc.,200 Westside Square,suite 320,Huntsville,AL,35801-4875,Yes,No,No,Michele Banish,COO,2568246547,michele@polarissensor.com,David Chenault,President,2568246548,david@polarissensor.com,"The Army has a need for an Urban Missile, a missile that will be small, lethal, and low-cost. As currently envisioned, the Urban Missile will be a 50-mm round with kinetic performance similar to a Russian rocket propelled grenade (RPG). A key advantage over the RPG, however, will be a semi-active laser (SAL) seeker head that will help to ensure a high probability of kill (PK) and will help to minimize collateral damage. Polaris Sensor Technologies, Inc., proposes to develop a solid-state, Multi-Aperture Seeker (MAS) concept. By directly coupling low-cost micro-optics to fixed photo detectors, our MAS concept will significantly reduce the cost of SAL seeker technology by eliminating the expensive domes, gimbals, and traditional optics typical of current-day SAL seekers. This proposal describes our seeker concept, defines the Phase I Objectives, describes a Work Plan for meeting these objectives, and lists the qualifications of the Polaris Team."
"Passive, Active Stokes Polarization Imaging System",W9113M-05-P-0023,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,119934.00,Polaris Sensor Technologies Inc.,200 Westside Square,suite 320,Huntsville,AL,35801-4875,Yes,No,No,Michele Banish,COO,2568246547,michele@polarissensor.com,David Chenault,President,2568246548,david@polarissensor.com,"The ability for polarization to provide additional information in difficult detection scenarios has strong potential to address a variety of hypervelocity interceptor applications. The targeting of a boost phase missile requires a sensor that can both acquire the target and perform plume / hardbody discrimination. For midcourse scenarios, debris and decoy clouds, low thermal contrast, and target orientation determination can also be measured an active or passive imaging polarimeter. In re-entry phase, an imaging polarization sensor can provide aimpoint selection and orientation determination in the presence of a wake. Imaging polarimeters have the disadvantage of reduced throughput due to the polarizer transmission. When an on-demand polarizer is integrated with appropriate optics, the resulting imaging system becomes a dual-mode imager that has both conventional intensity imaging and imaging polarimeter capabilities. This dual-mode system has the advanced discrimination advantages of the imaging polarimeter while maintaining the throughput advantages of a conventional seeker, thus enabling long detection ranges as well as clutter and decoy rejection for the end game. The marriage of the on-demand polarizer with imaging polarimetry is the key innovation of this SBIR effort and if successful will represent a revolutionary advance in capability for missile seeker technology."
"Passive, Active Stokes Polarization Imaging System",W9113M-06-C-0003,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,2,729820.00,Polaris Sensor Technologies Inc.,200 Westside Square,suite 320,Huntsville,AL,35801-4875,Yes,No,No,David Chenault,President,2565620087,david@polarissensor.com,Art Lompado,Sr Physicist,2565620087,art@polarissensor.com,"Field tests in a variety of scenarios indicate significant advantages to using polarization for enhancing target detection in cluttered backgrounds or backgrounds with countermeasures. Polarization provides additional information in these difficult detection scenarios and has strong potential to address a variety of Army and MDA needs. For midcourse scenarios, debris and decoy clouds, low thermal contrast, and target orientation determination can be addressed through the proposed imaging polarimeter. For the re-entry phase of an RV's trajectory, this imaging polarization sensor can provide aimpoint selection and orientation determination in the presence of a wake in the same manner as for boost phase in the presence of a plume. Polaris Sensor Technologies is developing such an imaging polarimeter incorporating an on-demand polarizer based on liquid crystal (LC) technology. The liquid crystal cell modulates the polarization rather than the intensity of the transmitted light. When the polarization mode is switched off, the liquid crystal does not limit the amount of unpolarized light reaching the focal plane due to the inherent loss of photons at the polarizer. This effort results in an imaging polarimeter operating in the visible spectrum."
Guidance Research,FA8651-05-C-0220,DOD,USAF,SBIR,2005,1,98274.00,Polaris Sensor Technologies Inc.,200 Westside Square,suite 320,Huntsville,AL,35801-4875,Yes,No,No,David Chenault,President,2568246548,david@polarissensor.com,John Harchanko,Senior Engineer,2568243230,john@polarissensor.com,"Traditional seeker optics are composed of domes, gimbals, and other expensive components that can be difficult to integrate into the missile. A concept in which the seeker components are more easily integrated and conformal to the missile airframe is desirable. The proposed concept utilizes a multiple non-imaging detector scheme to collect the target signature that can be wrapped around the airframe, similar to a compound eye. Placement of the sensors is much less critical allowing for optimal warhead placement which helps provide for more predictable, lethal warheads. Sensors are constructed to be low-cost and occupy a small volume. This proposal discusses our concept for these sensors, their construction, and our design approach."
Polarimetric Sensors for Robotic Vehicle Perception,W56HZV-05-C-0648,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,2,726420.00,Polaris Sensor Technologies Inc.,200 Westside Square,suite 320,Huntsville,AL,35801-4875,Yes,No,No,David Chenault,President,2565620087,david@polarissensor.com,Larry Pezzaniti,Sr Physicist,2565620087,larry@polarissensor.com,"Polarization imaging holds promise for providing significant improvements in contrast in a number of target detection and discrimination applications. In several recent development efforts, it has been demonstrated that manmade objects have a significantly stronger polarization signal than natural backgrounds resulting in good contrast that complements the conventionally imaged infrared signature. Other recent research has suggested that polarization sensing may increase detection range through optically dense media such as fog or aerosol laden atmosphere. However, these experimental systems frequently require long data acquisition times, which results in artifacts in the polarization imagery due to platform or target motion. Additionally, calibration and investigation of systematic errors in these systems is difficult and robust calibration procedures have not been fully demonstrated. Polaris Sensor Technologies, Inc is proposing to develop an MWIR imaging polarimeter that captures a complete Stokes vector image in a single image. The approach chosen utilizes birefringent wedge polarization components in a unique configuration that eliminates polarization artifacts due to target or platform motion. In Phase I, the prototype instrument was designed complete with component specifications and schematics. In Phase II, the system will be built. Models of the novel birefringent wedge system and the complete optical system will be developed."
Detection of Contaminants in Petroleum,W56HZV-06-C-0089,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2005,1,68741.00,Polaris Sensor Technologies Inc.,200 Westside Square,suite 320,Huntsville,AL,35801-4875,Yes,No,No,Michele Banish,COO,2565620087,michele@polarissensor.com,David Chenault,President,2565620087,david@polarissensor.com,"Detection of contaminants in petroleum is highly desirable in order to prevent devastating effects of sabotage or to prolong the life and enhance the efficiency of engines. Analysis of the chemical composition of a fluid can provide an abundance of information on quality, by allowing for the detection of both contaminants and naturally occurring components. Establishing a library of contaminants and normal constituents will allow for the user to rapidly establish the properties and quality of the sample. As part of this SBIR, Polaris will develop a portable instrument package that rapidly and accurately detects contaminants in petroleum products, including chemical and biological agents of both naturally occurring and illicit origin. The Phase I will be a study phase to determine the optimum detection capabilities with the minimal complexities and cost. The robust instrumental package that will identify and quantify the dangers of contaminated fuels in the field will be developed in Phase II. The primary development path will consist of a robust yet low cost, broadband spectroscopic device based on a fiber optic based spectrometer with no moving parts."
"Opto-Mechanical Modeling of Low Cost, High Precision, Micro Components for Fiber Optic Gyroscopes",W31P4Q-06-C-0021,DOD,DARPA,SBIR,2005,1,98043.00,Polaris Sensor Technologies Inc.,200 Westside Square,suite 320,Huntsville,AL,35801-4875,Yes,No,No,David Chenault,President,2565620087,david@polarissensor.com,Art Lompado,Sr Scientist,2565620087,art@polarissensor.com,"Polaris Sensor Technologies proposes to combine an innovative crossover-free Fiber Optic Gyroscope (FOG) sensor coil winding configuration, which is based on low cost single mode fiber and retains built-in thermal symmetry, with an opto-mechanical model of this novel device to enhance FOG capability. The cost and thermal sensitivity associated with current FOG sensor coils will be minimized through a high fidelity model which, in turn, will permit prediction and optimization of the performance of both the coil and the entire FOG sensor. The model will be based on the Mueller calculus, a well known framework capable of simulating the polarization resolved propagation of light through optical components such as those employed in a depolarized FOG. Coils with differing winding configurations will be designed, fabricated, and functionally tested. The test results will be correlated to the model predictions and both the model and the device designs will be iteratively improved. The enhancements afforded by this approach are expected to include higher FOG sensitivity at a reduced cost."
"Advanced, Low Cost, Integrated Avionics",W9113M-05-C-0021,DOD,MDA,SBIR,2005,1,94610.00,Polaris Sensor Technologies Inc.,200 Westside Square,suite 320,Huntsville,AL,35801-4875,Yes,No,No,David Chenault,President,2568246548,david@polarissensor.com,Michele Banish,COO,2568246547,michele@polarissensor.com,"An avionics architecture that eliminates false targets, null signals, and noise at the ROIC is proposed. Smart ROICs mask data from being read-out which is critical for larger and multi-color FPAs that flood the processing pipeline with data of no interest. The proposed approach tasks the four MIPS CPUs with feature extraction computations for discrimination. The approach leverages algorithms developed for medicine and military programs and utilizes the THAAD computer's flexible FPGAs. The technology dramatically lowers false alarm rates and lower cost while buying back bandwidth and processing time for aimpoint selection improvements. Phase I experiments with HWIL data will identify the processing steps for the ROIC as separate from those in the FPGAs. LMSSC collaboration offers internal research and development resources, direct THAAD system comparisons and an implementation path. In Phase II, an FPA manufacturer will help implement the ROIC advancement and the collaboration with LMSSC will continue to address the on-board data feature extraction, an expert system to support fusion for THAAD. Polaris Sensor Technologies is collaborating with commercial FPA manufacturers to port this technology into commercial systems. In Phase II a truly smart focal plane array will be developed, pushing the processing into the sensing plane."